Activities >> Seminars


Regional Thematic Seminar: Quel(s) argumentaire(s) pour sensibiliser à la conservation du patrimoine culturel immobilier africain?
Mali 2001

Background: From 5 - 10 November, the second thematic seminar Quel(s) argumentaire(s) pour sensibiliser à la conservation du patrimoine culturel immobilier africain ? was held in Ségou, Mali. The topic was selected during the 2000 Directors Seminar held in Porto-Novo, Benin.

Course Objectives: The seminar had four main objectives:

• to clearly define the importance of African immovable cultural heritage and its context;
• to develop arguments on the importance of conserving the African immovable cultural heritage, in order
• to get support from various targeting groups;
• to define ways and means for disseminating these arguments;
• to establish tasks for continued development of the seminar conclusions in 2002.
  

Structure: Applications were solicited from the entire region. Candidates from 25 countries submitted applications from which 20 participants from 19 countries were selected. The working language of the seminar was French, but participants were not limited to Francophone countries (2 Anglophone countries were represented). In addition, 1 resource person from the Riksantikvaren in Norway were present, as well as staff from the Ministry of Culture of Mali. The seminar was divided in three main parts. The first two days of the week were devoted to individual presentations by the participants on the arguments they have used in their respective countries to build awareness for conservation of African immovable cultural heritage. During the second part of the week, plenary sessions and group work were organised in order to put together, in writing, convincing arguments which can be used by participants in their work. The last formal day of the seminar was spent elaborating the seminar recommendations with specific attention how the work accomplished during the week could be further developed and finalized. At the conclusion of the seminar, a site visit was carried out to the World Heritage site of Djénné.

Results:

• 20 professionals from Africa representing 19 countries participated in the event.
• 7 resource people from AFRICA 2009, the Malian Ministry of Culture and the Riksantikvaren took part in the event.
• A document with the results of the working groups has been prepared (with next steps now being discussed by the AFRICA 2009 Steering Committee).
• Recommendations for future actions were developed.
• 9 participants from previous AFRICA 2009 activities took part in the seminar.
• 2 regional course participants from 2000 acted as local organizers for the event.
• 5 participants came from countries that had not yet been involved in the programme.