On 3 July, ICCROM Director-General had the honour of receiving the visit of H.E. Santos Alvaro, the Ambassador of Mozambique to Italy to ICCROM’s Headquarters.
The meeting aimed at strengthening collaborative efforts between ICCROM and Mozambique in the conservation and management of cultural heritage in Mozambique as well as identifying concrete ways of making cultural heritage a source of revenue, socio-economic growth and youth empowerment.
Key topics discussed included ICCROM’s ongoing involvement in Mozambique including activities like the recent Undertaking Business in Culture (UBiC) workshop and positive impacts of the Youth.Heritage.Africa programme on youth in Mozambique were highlighted.
The discussion also revolved on the idea of establishing a Youth Heritage Hub in Mozambique to allow youth to have a space for co-creation, accrue their enteprenership skills and bring a positive trajectory of change in their lives through the creative industry sector. Through the Hub, other important curricula would be taught to the young heritage professionalism areas such as archaeological conservation, preventative conservation in museums and digitalization of cultural heritage.
To this end, ICCROM Director-General Ms Gujral and His Excellency Ambassador Santos Alvaro agreed to start concrete steps and to identify the necessary resources for the establishment of a Youth Heritage Hub, making Mozambique one of the countries on the ICCROM’s list to have a Heritage Hub.
We look forward to furthering our collaboration to enhance the promotion of cultural heritage as a key driver for sustainable development and growth in Mozambique.