Luanda – The director of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage, Cecília Gourgel, Sunday encouraged the population to preserve the monuments and sites to safeguard the identity and culture of each region of the country.
Speaking to ANGOP on the International Day of Monuments and Sites, which will be celebrated on Monday, the director stressed that the government considers the preservation of the national heritage as one of its priorities.
According to Cecília Gourgel, the government has programmes and projects for the recovery and requalification of infrastructures, including monuments and historical sites.
The official said that the rehabilitation of the monuments, as they are old buildings, is costly, taking into account that it requires the maintenance of the architectural lines, in order not to lose their initial characteristics.
However, she regretted the fact that the efforts of the Government, linked to the restoration of the monuments, come up against vandalising actions.
She added that the sector has worked with local administrations and carried out awareness campaigns to prevent the destruction of these heritage assets.
“The preservation of heritage is a task of everyone, as it is a fundamental part of the national cultural heritage,” she said.
Available data indicate that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment (MCTA) has inventoried 1,357 cultural assets susceptible to classification as national monuments and sites.
In the country, 280 properties have been classified as immovable cultural heritage and three properties have been included on UNESCO’s indicative list.
The International Day of Monuments and Sites aims to highlight the importance of monuments and sites in the history and identity of various peoples, and to call for their preservation and enhancement.
This day was created by the International Council on Monuments and Sites in 1982. The following year, UNESCO recognised this date at its 22nd General Conference.
Source: Angola Press News Agency