CUT Launches ICH Database at UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee Meeting in Namibia
Four members of CUT staff attended the 10th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), which was hosted by Namibiaat theCountry Club and Resortin the capital Windhoek from 30 November to 4 December 2015. This major UNESCO event brought together over 500 participants from around the world.
Chinhoyi Uniiversity of Technology, which hosts the UNESCO Southern African ICH Platform (SAICH Platform), was represented by a four-man team that was led by Professor Herbert Chimhundu, the Coordinator of the SAICH Platform. The other three members were Dr. Manase Chiweshe of the Centre for Development Studies, Dr. Biggie Samwanda of the School of Art and Design, and Mr. Tichaona Miti of the Department of Information and Communication Technology.
One of the highlights of the whole programme was a side event titled Passing it on: Inventorying living heritage in Africa , which was held on 30 November 2015. The side event featured the work of the SAICH Platform, a grouping of seven Southern African countries, namely Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Items were presented from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia to share some concrete results of UNESCO capacity-building projects in Southern Africa with the rest of the world.
During the Zimbabwe presentation, UNESCO expert Mr. Stephen Chifunyise gave a narrative summary of the activities of the UNESCO/Flanders Government sub-regional project on capacity-building and strengthening cooperation in implementing the 2003 ICH Convention in Southern Africa since 2010. Professor Chimhundu then indicated the background to the establishment of the SAICH Platform at CUT in 2015, explained the role of the University in providing secretariat and technical support services, and outlined a vision for the future of the Platform and the vast possibilities that were now provided by the development of the SAICH database.
Thus the Zimbabwe presentation was effectively a launch of the SAICH Platform’s database that was developed by the ICT Department at CUT under the expertise of Mr. Miti in association with Mr. Shakemore Chinofunga. Besides launching the database, the CUT team was involved in providing detailed tutorials to delegates from SAICH Platform member states. The database is the first of its kind across the ICH regions worldwide and it has generated a lot of interest beyond the sub-region. So has the SAICH Platform as a concept.
CUT has thus initiated an innovative process that has far reaching implications for the documentation and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. This also signals the increased role and participation of universities and research centres in ICH activities in Africa, in particular by providing field practitioners and custodian communities with much needed technology applications and tools.
Going forward, CUT should therefore continue to provide an innovative edge to the process of safeguarding ICH.
FIVE (5) PHOTOS
See attached separately.
CAPTIONS FOR PHOTOS
IMG_7631.JPG Biggie Samwanda, Lovemore Mazibuko (Malawi) & Manase Chiweshe
IMG_7687.JPG Stephen Chifunyise (presenting) & Herbert Chimhundu
IMG_7700.JPG Herbert Chimhundu (presenting) & Stephen Chifunyise
IMG_7803.JPG SAICH Platform delegates in database tutorial session with Manase Chiweshe in attendance
IMG_7808.JPG Tichaona Miti conducting database tutorial with Damir Dijakovic (UNESCO) following proceedings