“Of the current list of sites classified as world heritage, only 8% are African”, highlighted the president of the Cape Verdean Cultural Heritage Institute (IPC), Samira Baessa, during the presentation of the country’s strategy for the site’s candidacy for Heritage. Worldwide.
Cape Verde wants to nominate the former Tarrafal concentration camp to UNESCO by 2026, in a process that involves Portugal, Angola and Guinea-Bissau and which hopes to “balance” the continental distribution of the world heritage list.
“Of the current list of sites classified as world heritage, only 8% are African”, highlighted the president of the Cape Verdean Cultural Heritage Institute (IPC), Samira Baessa, during the presentation of the country’s strategy for the site’s candidacy for Heritage. Worldwide.
The candidacy, according to the same person responsible, will take place in the cultural category and will be the first transnational – bringing together other countries – from an African site.
To this end, the country has already sent a memorandum of understanding to Portugal, Angola and Guinea-Bissau, which hopes to be signed by May 10, when the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April and the closure of the Tarrafal Concentration Camp end.
In addition to the international “dialogue”, Cape Verde wants to involve civil society so that the candidacy is “for the people” and to honor former political prisoners.
“The hard work will be to prove that the site has value that goes beyond national borders”, highlighted the president of the IPC, estimating that the dossier could be submitted to UNESCO between 2025 and 2026.
“It will be a relatively complex and long process”, warned Samira Baessa, stressing that it will be a “winning candidate” and that it will “value the memory”.
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