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4th Regional Course on the Conservation and Management of Immovable Cultural Heritage
Benin 2002

Place: Porto Novo, Benin
Dates: 2 Sept. – 22 Nov.
Partner: Ecole du Patrimoine Africain (EPA), La Direction du Patrimoine Culturel du Bénin (DPC)

Course Aim and Objectives: The aim of the course was to bring together 22 African heritage professionals to work towards creation of a greater awareness of the most important issues in conservation planning and management. The objectives of the course were to:

• give participants the tools to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of an immovable cultural heritage site and its management system, and taking into account the specific context, develop appropriate and realistic solutions;
• examine some of the issues facing conservation of immovable cultural heritage at the national level, with the aim of introducing gradually, the most important approaches within the participants’ home organizations.

Structure: As in the past, the course was designed around an 8-week hands-on site management planning exercise at two sites. In order to introduce new typologies into the programme, the sites selected in 2002 were a small cultural landscape (the Jardin des Plantes et de la Nature) and a palace (Palais Adja-ho dÁkron) important for its intangible elements related to ancestor worship. In addition, a new documentation exercise was introduced at a sacred forest near Porto Novo. The first 3 weeks of the course introduced participants to broader issues related to conservation of cultural heritage. As in 2001, past course participants (7) were asked to return as course assistants. 2002 also saw the introduction of an intern for the course. Finally, the course helped to enhance the relationship between AFRICA 2009 and EPA who worked closely on the course implementation.

Results:

• 18 professionals from 16 countries successfully completed the training.
• 1 additional participant, the Director of Cultural Heritage of Benin took part in the course on a special status.
• 5 participants came from countries that had not yet been involved in the Regional Course.
• 70% of the resource persons used for the course were professionals from Africa
• 7 previous participants (from 2000) were used as course assistants
• Draft management plans were developed for 2 sites in Porto Novo
• Reports based on participant work were made on the topics of African immovable cultural heritage, documentation and inventory, documentation of the Sacred Forest of Bamezoum, tourism, and legal and administrative frameworks. These and other materials were distributed for future use by participants and AFRICA 2009.
• Equipment and didactic material for the course were purchased and left at EPA.
  Professionals and other stakeholders in Benin benefited from working on the management planning exercise and other course activities.
• 22 articles were written in the local press about the course.

For more information on the course, see the final report (Pdf 1,75 MB).