Preamble
Culture
can be defined as the totality of socially transmitted behavior
patterns, art, belief, institutions, and all other products of human and
thought. It also summarizes the predominating attitude and behavior that
characterize the functioning of a group or organization.
From this definition, we can realize that culture is the bearer of knowledge developed and inherited in a particular group of people. It is the sum and diversity of these local cultures that make the sum of knowledge that determines the dynamism of local and universal civilization, given that cultures spontaneously interact and borrow from each other.
World cultural heritage is threatened by several factors both natural and anthropogenic.
Natural catastrophes such as flood, volcano, earthquake, fire etc. can lead to the destruction of a given local culture. As far as anthropogenic factors are concerned, we can name war, looting and illicit trade, pollution as acid rains, unchecked tourism and development. At another level, culture and cultural products are located within the realm of hegemonic warfare, within the battle to provide leadership with respect to ideas, values, beliefs and worldviews whether it is across the globe, within nation states, within communities, institutions or organisations. This hegemonic warfare can manifest itself through colonialism, apartheid and inter-tribal or inter-cultural war.
Development implies progress, upward economic mobility, greater physical well-being, a better quality of life and the like. But is this necessarily a good thing, given the cultural ruptures that development initiatives bring? Or is it better to have a way of life with fewer consumer goods but perhaps more meaning?
Development will have its maximum effect when it is most sensitive to the cultural conditions in which it is to have an impact. But the very nature of development as a rupture (even if an objective improvement) to the way of life of the community, will cause an evolution of that community’s culture.
Are development and the maintenance of cultural status quos possible at the same time?
-
Is it desirable to maintain cultural status quos if these militate against the improvement in the quality of life of the community, or sectors of that community for example the lives of women and children or increase the propensity to certain health problems?
-
If cultures change in any case, is development – whatever form it takes – not simply an intervention that will speed up a process that would have taken place anyway?
-
While sensitivity to prevailing cultural issues may enhance development goals within a community in the short to medium term, does this necessarily mean that the culture needs to be protected and preserved, or should the prevailing culture and development be left to act upon each other to produce new cultural paradigms?
-
In all of these cases, who decides?
Culture and development are complex processes that impact on each other in significant ways which in turn have major repercussions for the communities and individuals concerned. Clearly, both because of the impact that culture has on development and that development has on culture, the cultural dimension of development cannot be ignored.
Whether natural, anthropogenic, developmental, historical or political factors, the challenge is what shall be done to preserve the world cultural heritage? The following solutions can be of rescue:
i) Raising awareness of the importance of intangible heritage at the local, national and international levels, as well as encouraging international cooperation and assistance;
ii) Acknowledging that culture is the bearer of knowledge and so far a major determinant to reckon with in social and economic development and set efficient policies and strategies, manpower and funds to unsure that they are effectively preserved and shared worldwide;
iii) Promoting cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue and tolerance;
iv) Ensuring the promotion of cultural diversity whilst avoiding that it becomes the basis for chauvinism, nationalism, ethnic strife and even war and genocide as witnessed in the Balkans and Burundi; v) Identify and preserve important cultural site;
vi) Share global heritage by connecting experts, cities, publications;
vii) Supporting the effective implementation of cultural conventions for the identification, conservation and protection of culture and heritage around the world;
viii) Improving on the presence of cultural studies in our educational policy from primary to higher level.
The paper prepared for the international network for cultural diversity conference that held in Cape Town on the 11-13 October 2002 under the theme Development and Cultural Diversity as well as the numerous UNESCO conventions throw substantial light on the need to preserve our culture and the necessity to bridge culture and intellectual, social, economic and political development for a better world.
News/Announcements
International Mother Language Day is an observance held annually on 21 February worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It was first announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. Its observance was also formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.
- Visual Dictionnary Bamiléké-Mèhdúhmbà: French-English-Mèhdúhmbà.
- Ancestority at the Crossroads of Religions: the Principle of Metaphysical Relay.
La production du Dictionnaire Visuel Bamiléké-Mèhdúhmbà est sur la lancée de notre projet sur la conservation et l’usage des langues Africaines en tant que supports des connaissances scientifiques, médicinales, culturelles, économiques ou socio-anthropologiques universelles. Ce projet a aussi pour objectif de porter la langue maternelle dans tous les ménages par le biais de la sensibilisation et de la formation.
The production of Visual Dictionnary Bamiléké-Mèhdúhmbà is in line with our project on the conservation and usage of African languages as the bearers of scientific, medicinal, cultural, economic or socio-anthropological universal knowledge. This project equally has as objective to carry the mother tongue in all the households through sensitization and training.
Join us in the struggle to conserve and promote African languages.
Special/Spécial
Par Djobia Jean René.
Loin de verser dans des accusations stériles, c’est d’un appel au réveil, à la prise de conscience de cette situation paradoxale et déshonorante qu’il s’agit...
Nous étions de l'évènement!
Ensemble, continuons à sensibiliser pour la conservation des zones humides.
Did You Know This?
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)
This Convention seeks to protect and promote cultural expressions by ensuring conditions that favor their creation, production and distribution. This includes enhanced access to and enjoyment of these cultural expressions by all.
Convention on Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)
This Convention seeks to safeguard and ensure respect for Intangible Cultural Heritage – the practices, representations, expressions and knowledge which are transmitted from generation to generation.
Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001)
This convention protects the cultural heritage which lies beneath the sea from commercial exploitation and trafficking.
Convention on the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972)
This Convention established the World Heritage List of sites from around the world considered to have Outstanding Universal Value. The Convention helps ensure the protection and preservation of these sites for all humanity.
Convention on Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Cultural Property (1970)
This Convention seeks to stop the theft, looting and illicit trade of cultural property.
Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954)
The Convention provides a system of protection for cultural property in situations of international and internal conflicts.
Universal Copyright Convention (1952, 1971)
This Convention aims to provide adequate and effective protection of the rights of authors and artists.
Events
21 February - International Mother Language Day
8 March - International Women's Day
21 March - World Poetry Day
22 March - World Water Day
23 April - World Book and Copyright Day
3 May - World Press Freedom Day
21 May - World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
25 May - Africa Day / Africa Week
23 August - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
8 September - International Literacy Day
21 September - International Day of Peace
5 October - World Teachers' Day
27 October - World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
10 November - World Science Day for Peace and Development
3rd Thursday of November - World Philosophy Day
16 November - International Day of Tolerance
1 December - World AIDS Day
10 December - Human Rights Day
© 2010 Webmaster: Nana Célestin Welcome to CADI