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Archive -Seychelles

International Day for Monuments and Sites |19 April 2018

‘What we do now adds to the heritage we leave to our children’

 

 “What we do now, how we live our lives and the character we build, adds to the heritage we leave to our children. The youths are the future of this country and knowledge of their Culture and Heritage is of paramount importance if we want a nation of peace, tolerance and stability.”

This comes in a message from the Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture Mitcy Larue on the occasion of the International Day for Monuments and Sites celebrated yesterday (April 18).

The full text of Minister Larue’s message reads:

“Every year on April 18, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) celebrates the International Day for Monuments and Sites, whose establishment was approved by the 22nd Unesco General Conference in 1983. 

“The International Day for Monuments and Sites is an important day in our calendar, because it is not only the day on which all Seychellois are given an opportunity to pause, reflect and look back at all the good things that have been passed onto us by those who came before us; but it is also a day to celebrate and relive the heritage that was bequeathed to us by our ancestors. Today we can literally retrace and walk in the footsteps bequeathed to us by our forebears. It is also a day on which we recommit ourselves to nurturing the progress that humanity, especially our nation has made over time.

“This year’s theme chosen by Icomos is ‘Heritage for Generations’. This theme seeks to promote the importance of knowledge exchange between generations for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage.  The tradition of storytelling has been entrenched in our Seychellois culture as a way to transfer knowledge between generations. Worldwide the exchange of knowledge between generations has been recognised as a crucial step in cultural development and characterising of the human experience since time immemorial.  If we value our heritage, we will then be able to pass it on to our children with a little bit of ourselves attached to it. What we do now, how we live our lives and the character we build, adds to the heritage we leave to our children. The youths are the future of this country and knowledge of their Culture and Heritage is of paramount importance if we want a nation of peace, tolerance and stability.

“In Seychelles, Heritage Week is an occasion for us to celebrate our rich and diverse culture and renew our efforts of conservation, protection and safeguarding of our cultural heritage.  It is also an occasion that provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the achievements and obstacles in conservation and protection of cultural heritage. Most importantly, to celebrate the generational transfer of knowledge and embrace the possibilities it offers as economic activities that can contribute significantly to sustainable development.

“The National Heritage Research and Protection Section in collaboration with the Seychelles National Museums and the Seychelles Heritage Foundation have organised various activities from April 13 to 25, ranging from exhibitions, guided tours of heritage sites and the highlight of the activities will be the reopening of the Domaine de Val des Prés craft village.

“I take this opportunity to encourage all of you to participate and learn more about our Cultural Heritage.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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