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1st Technical Course: Inventory and Documentation of Immovable Cultural Heritage
Cameroon 2003

Place: Bafoussam, Cameroon
Dates: 30 June– 25 July
Partner: UNESCO Regional Office in Yaoundé, DPC of Cameroon

Background: As a result of the recommendations made on the occasion of the evaluation of AFRICA 2009 in 2001, the Steering Committee decided to enlarge training opportunities with a series of technical courses. The topic of the first technical course was agreed upon in November 2002 during the Francophone Directors Seminar. At the same time, it was agreed that the activity should take place in central Africa, after which Cameroon made a proposal to host the course.

Course Objectives: The objectives of the course were to train professional to:

• be able to participate actively in the elaboration of inventory policies;
• be able to build partnership in order to carry out inventory and documentation activities and their follow-up;
• be able to coordinate implementation of inventory and documentation, including field work;
  better understand the process of establishment of Tentative List for World Heritage.
  

Structure: The course was organized with 4 main parts:

1. presentation and evaluation of the inventory activities already undertaken in the countries represented;
2. methods and techniques of inventories and documentation;
3. practical exercises on inventories and documentation;
4. assessment of results, and elaboration of guidelines and recommendations.
   

The course was conceived as a forum for active interchange among participants, guest instructors/facilitators, and AFRICA 2009 staff. Didactic methods varied depending on subjects, included classroom lectures, moderation, group exercises, stakeholder meetings, and site visits. Special attention was paid to establishing clear links between theory and practice.

Results:

• 19 French speaking professionals from 18 countries in the region successfully attended the training course.
• 12 professionals from Cameroon and 6 from other countries in Africa took part as resource persons or coordinators, including 4 women.
• About 200 stakeholders and other professionals in Bafoussam and its surroundings, were sensitized to the importance of their heritage and its preservation.
• The DPC and the UNESCO regional office provided a great support for the course. This partnership has strengthened their relationship with AFRICA 2009.
• 5 inventories for 4 typologies of sites in the western region of Cameroon have been produced, along with documentation for some of the sites.
• Guidelines and recommendations for inventories were drafted.
• All documents produced were compiled and left for the two locals partners and the principal stakeholders in charge of the sites.