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President Mugabe yesterday officially opened the 14th General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of the International Council on Monuments and Sites in Victoria Falls saying land was the greatest heritage a country could have. Cde Mugabe said Zimbabwe was committed to preserving its heritage and the hosting of the international conference demonstrated that. He said Zimbabweans had, through the agrarian reform programme, found joy because their greatest heritage � land � had been returned to them. "Now that the land has returned to the people, they are able, once more, to enjoy the physical and spiritual communion that once was theirs. "For, it must be borne in mind, that the non-physical or intangible heritage is an equally strong _expression_ of a people, manifesting itself through oral traditions, language, social practices, rituals and traditional craftsmanship," said President Mugabe. He said the objectives of ICOMOS, which principally are the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage, were synonymous with Zimbabwe�s philosophy. Cde Mugabe said Zimbabwe valued heritage so much that even the graves of the country�s colonialists such as Cecil John Rhodes were being preserved. "We accept history as a reality. Happenings of the past live in the context of history and why not pass them on to future generations?" Zimbabwe had a rich and diverse cultural heritage in both physical and non-physical forms as shown by such sites as the Great Zimbabwe, Khami and Matobo World Heritage. "These physical manifestations reflect the depth of our history, capturing the whole range of experiences that we have gone through as a nation." The country also had sites like the national, provincial and district heroes� acres which were testimony to the bitter struggle for independence and the price paid by freedom fighters to free the land from colonial settlers. Cde Mugabe said the country would seek the guidance of ICOMOS, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the World Heritage Centre and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property when managing these invaluable resources. The President told the delegates that contrary to negative media reports, they would find that Zimbabwe was a safe and friendly country. He urged them to take time to visit one of the country�s prime tourist attractions, the Victoria Falls and other sites. "As happens all over the world, people differ in perceptions, principles, ideologies and views; indeed it is in those differences that we find the rich diversity of cultures, political systems, opinions and philosophies. "We rely on professionals like you to spread this kind of message to the world at large. We hope that as our new found ambassadors, you will help to bring your other colleagues and friends to our country." Some of the issues to be discussed at the week-long conference include the findings that the bulk of African heritage remains unidentified, undocumented, unresearched and little understood as well as the fact that policy makers and communities were often unaware of the importance of preserving their heritage. Delegates from more than 100 countries the world over are attending the conference being held under the theme "Place, Memory, Managing and Preserving Tangible Values in Monuments and Sites". Zimbabwe becomes the first African country in the 38-year history of ICOMOS to host the conference and this is expected to boost the country�s image and help revive the tourism industry. President Mugabe commended the international community for bringing the conference to Africa for the first time. The
Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
