Activities >> Seminars

Recommendations
Seminar on Documentation and Inventory, Zambia 2000

Recognizing the importance of having good manual documentation systems (and computerized systems where the capacity exists) as demonstrated by the presentations during this seminar, participants of the AFRICA 2009 Seminar on Documentation and Inventory, held in Livingstone, Zambia from 10 - 14 October 200, have developed the following recommendations:

General Recommendations

Policy

1. It is recommended that cultural heritage agencies develop the necessary policies, standards, and methodologies for documentation.

2. It is recommended that a well defined purpose is established before embarking on the process of documentation. This purpose should be the starting point for determining the design and plan of the documentation process.

3. In order to facilitate exchange of information amongst countries sub-regionally, regionally, and internationally, it is recommended that countries work towards the adoption of standardized policies, procedures, and formats for documentation. This standardization should take into account the specificities found in each country.

Methodology

4. Community participation should be encouraged as part of the documentation process as it serves the purpose of creating awareness, giving a sense of ownership, and promoting the long term survival of the heritage.

5. For all immovable cultural heritage, a minimum of core or essential data should be collected. Each type of heritage will also require additional information to be gathered. Core data standards should apply both to inventories as well as to more in-depth documentation.

6. Documentation of immovable heritage should include the recording of the intangible aspects of the heritage as well as physical aspects. Methodologies need to be developed to ensure that the intangible aspects are recorded in a systematic manner.

7. Before attempting to computerize documentation/inventory systems, it is crucial to ensure that manual databases are in sound order.

8. Backing-up of computerized databases and continuous update of the manual system should be done at regular basis.

9. As inventories are the most basic level of documentation, these recommendations should also apply to inventory.

Access/Dissemination

10. In certain cases involving sensitive information, access to the documentation will need to be limited. In principle, however, it is recommended that efforts be made to make as much information accessible to the public as possible. To facilitate dissemination, products should be developed for target audiences.

Human Resources/Training

11. It is recommended that countries ensure that they have professionals trained in all aspects of documentation. There should be at least one person within the institution with specific responsibility for documentation. Training programmes should be develop to assist in this regard.

Concrete Follow-up Recommendations

As concrete follow-up to the seminar, the participants recommend the following activities.

Working Group

1. The AFRICA 2009 programme should set up a working group made of interested participants to carry out the following activities over the next 9 month to 1 year period:
- development of an in-depth questionnaire in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the current situation faced by countries in the region;
- identify institutions, and individuals within those institutions, who would be the key contacts related to documentation and inventory;
- analyze the information gathered through the questionnaire;
- report findings;
- prepare and distribute (after 6 months) a second, follow-up questionnaire to participants of this seminar in order to evaluate its effectiveness and see what, if any, follow-up action has taken place based on its results.

Workshops/Training

2. The AFRICA 2009 programme should develop (either by itself or in collaboration with partners) regional workshops/training activities focused on the following issues:
- developing core data standards;
- developing objectives and indicators of measurement;
- in-depth examination of case studies

These workshops/training activities will be steps towards standardization/ harmonization of inventories, permitting bench-marking, comparisons, and in the future a common repository of information. These workshops/training activities should ensure concrete follow-up from their participants and could be linked to projets situés that deal with documentation and inventory.

3. The AFRICA 2009 programme should ensure continuation of (and make improvements to based on the results of this seminar) the documentation and inventory units that are already part of the AFRICA 2009 regional three month courses.

4. The AFRICA 2009 programme should continue its collaboration with the Southern African Rock Art Project (SARAP) in relation to the planned workshop on Documentation of Rock Art Sites to be held in 2001, and in particular with the creation of a "manual for documentation of rock art sites".

Networking and Exchange of Information

5. The AFRICA 2009 programme should ensure diffusion of results and best practices related to documentation and inventory projects in the region both for AFRICA 2009 and other projects.

6. An exchange programme related to documentation and inventory should be set up to allow professionals from various institutions to learn from each other, in-situ.

7. Sub-regional workshops/research projects related to documentation and inventory should be encouraged.

8. The AFRICA 2009 web page should have a section devoted to documentation and inventory, and professionals from the region should be encouraged to submit information. Efforts must also be made to ensure dissemination of information to those professionals without computer access.

9. The AFRICA 2009 newsletter should focus an issue on documentation and inventory.

Projets Situés

10. One or more projets situés should be carried out by AFRICA 2009 to create a concrete model for development of a documentation and inventory system in the region. These projets situés could be linked to regional workshops/training activities. The development of these projects will depend on requests by national cultural heritage institutions and will be dependent on successful fundraising. Criteria for the selection of possible projects should be developed by the working group under the supervision of the Coordination Committee of AFRICA 2009.