By Nii Martey M. Botchway
Accra, July 28, GNA – Ghana has secured major international commitments to strengthen the conservation, management and sustainable development of its World Heritage properties.
The commitments followed a series of high-level meetings held on the sidelines of the 48th Session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea.
The discussions focused on strengthening Ghana’s heritage management systems, enhancing technical capacity and mobilising resources to address the conservation needs of the country’s World Heritage properties, particularly its Forts and Castles.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, who led Ghana’s delegation to the six-day session, said the delegation held engagements with the Africa World Heritage Fund (AWHF), the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITRAP), the Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, and the Executive Director of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO.
She said the engagements resulted in significant commitments to support Ghana’s heritage conservation agenda.
According to the Minister, the AWHF pledged to support the Ministry and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) through specialised human resource development and capacity-building programmes to strengthen heritage conservation and management.
She said WHITRAP also committed to providing technical training for officers of the GMMB in heritage site interpretation and visitor experience management over the next five years.
“These interventions are expected to improve the presentation, interpretation and appreciation of Ghana’s World Heritage sites,” she said.
Madam Gomashie said in a major boost to Ghana’s heritage conservation efforts, the Korean National Commission for UNESCO had also pledged US$3.5 million to support restoration works on six selected Forts and Castles.
She said the support would complement the government’s efforts to implement UNESCO’s conservation recommendations and ensure the long-term preservation of the historic monuments.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to preserving and promoting Ghana’s cultural heritage as a catalyst for tourism development, education, job creation and sustainable national development.
She expressed Ghana’s appreciation to the government and people of the Republic of Korea, UNESCO, the AWHF and WHITRAP for their continued partnership and confidence in Ghana’s commitment to safeguarding its cultural heritage.
During the visit, Madam Gomashie, accompanied by Ghana’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Kojo Choi, attended the graduation ceremony of six Ghanaian officials who successfully completed a specialised heritage capacity-building programme organised by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO in Seoul.
Other members of the Ghanaian delegation were Mrs Meredith Naakai Lamptey Addy, Ghana’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO; Prof. Usman Damba, Secretary-General of the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO; Mr Kwesi Essel Blankson, Acting Executive Director of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board; and Mr Divine Kwame Owusu-Ansah, Director of Culture and Creative Arts at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
GNA
Nii Martey M. Botchway
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong