Deadline: 9-Mar-22
The workshop on “Strengthening Capacities of World Heritage Professionals in Africa” will improve the understanding of the African professionals regarding World Heritage processes, including the evaluation of nomination and monitoring of state of conservation of World Heritage properties in Africa.
The African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) of South Africa in partnership with the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Ecole du Patrimoine Africain (School of African Heritage – EPA) and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC), are hosting a workshop on “Strengthening Capacities of World Heritage Professionals in Africa”.
This workshop is part of the AWHF’s Upstream Support Initiative (2018-2022) aimed at broadening the network of African heritage professionals capable of contributing the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention in Africa.
Objectives
The overall objective of the workshop is to improve the implementation of the World Heritage Convention through skills development and sensitization of heritage practitioners and other key stakeholders in the field of cultural and natural heritage in Africa. The workshop will:
- Strengthen capacities of heritage professionals in Africa by providing them with in-depth understanding of the concepts, tools and processes of the World Heritage Convention;
- Provide heritage professionals in Africa with an opportunity to learn about World Heritage processes such as the evaluation of nomination and monitoring the state of conservation of World Heritage properties.
- Broaden the network of African professionals in the field of cultural and natural heritage capable of participating and contributing towards effective implementation of World Heritage processes in Africa.
- Improve the awareness of decision-makers and heritage practitioners about the implementation of World Heritage Convention in Africa.
Structure and Format of Workshop
The methodological approach of the 5-day workshop contains the following elements:
- Interactive lectures: by resource-persons regarding the main concepts, tools and mechanisms of the World Heritage Convention, the functions of Advisory Bodies (e.g., advisory missions, state of conservation reports, evaluation of nominations and the reporting format) and relevant thematic elements.
- Practical exercises: for participants to exchange ideas and experiences on nomination and state of conservation of case studies, simulate or actual missions of Advisory Bodies in working groups or as individuals shadowing Mission Experts appointed by Advisory Bodies in the post training period with the support of AWHF;
- Study Tour: to Maluti Drakensberg World Heritage site in South Africa as part of the training programme, to improve the understanding of the functions of the Advisory Bodies on behalf of the World Heritage Committee and State Parties;
- Working language: The working language for the workshop is English. Therefore, all the lectures and practical exercises, as well as the interactions with resource persons, will be in English.
Language: The working language of the workshop will be French and English.
Eligibility Criteria
Participants for this workshop shall be selected based on the following criteria:
- Have at least 5 years of experience working in the field of cultural and/or natural heritage, including World Heritage area;
- Be fluent (speaking, reading and writing) in one of the working languages of the World Heritage Convention (English or French);
- Demonstrable good knowledge of the World Heritage Convention and the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention;
- Experience in heritage conservation and management, research, data analysis and report writing in the field of cultural and/or natural heritage;
- Be motivated, active and interested in engaging in the field of World Heritage;
- Only one applicant per country will be selected and gender balance will be prioritised.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3hdXJ2c