Nigeria vows to strengthen cultural ties with other West African countries

Nigeria has vowed to strengthen cultural ties with other West African countries in pursuit of its policy of promoting cultural diplomacy.

The promise was made on Tuesday in Abuja
by the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa during the event sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) “Sharing experiences and good practices in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in West Africa”

At the event, which was also attended by other West African countries, Musawa said:
“Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, in our commitment to promoting cultural diplomacy, I am here today to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to strengthening cultural ties with your respective countries.”

Musawa, represented by one of her advisors, Roshan Nanayakkara, said: “We recognize the importance of collaboration and partnership to fully harness the potential of our cultural resources and creative talents. This forum serves as a platform to explore new avenues of cooperation, exchange best practices and create lasting partnerships that will benefit our nations in the long run.

“I firmly believe that by working together, pooling our resources and sharing our expertise, we can achieve extraordinary results that will benefit not only our nations, but the entire world.”

Musawa added that: “I would like to thank UNESCO, a key partner and supporter of Nigeria in all our cultural endeavors, for convening this extremely important event. I take this opportunity to invite each and every one of you to join us on this transformative journey towards the emergence of Africa’s cultural renaissance, leading the charge from West Africa.

“Let’s use this moment to strengthen our cultural bonds, ignite our creative energies, and pave the way for a future filled with hope, inspiration, and prosperity. Together, we can build a world where art, culture, and creativity serve as catalysts for positive change and unity.”

In his speech, the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar, Mr. Dimitri Sanga, said that the meeting was convened to share experiences and good practices on living heritage in the West African sub-region.

Sanga, represented by UNESCO Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Abdourahmane Diallo, said: “Indeed, this is one of the roles of UNESCO: to serve as a platform for exchange, dialogue, capacity building and networking for its Member States.”

She noted that: “This workshop is also a valuable opportunity to strengthen South-South collaboration in this field and to ensure better protection of cultural heritage in all its forms, across the African continent. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that the promotion of ICH and associated creativity can help generate some opportunities for communities and individuals, contribute to sustainable development and build peace.

“This is a further step towards achieving the sustainable development goals and Agenda 2063: “the Africa we want”.

He said: “This meeting is in line with UNESCO’s Phare Priority Africa programme and the declaration of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – MONDIACULT 2022. This meeting is, therefore, a prelude to MONDIACULT 2025 to make the voice of African countries, in particular one of the West African countries, heard.”

He noted that: “As you already know, MONDIACULT is an important event during which the 194 Member States of UNESCO work together to define the global agenda for culture. The next edition will be held in Barcelona during the second semester of 2025, a date by which I hope all the States Parties will have ratified the main UNESCO conventions on culture and in particular the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage that brings us together today.”

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