Cultural Heritage and Socio-Economic Development at EPA

A Workshop organised by EuropeAid on "Cultural Heritage and Socio-Economic Development" will take place in the Ecole du Patrimoine Africain (EPA, School of African Heritage) in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin from February 7 to 10, 2011. The EPA school, where the workshop will be held, was set up in 1998 by ICCROM, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property. ICCROM is an Intergovernmental Organisation created by UNESCO in 1959.

The Cotonou Agreement specifically refers to the development of capacity for the recognition, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage as a cooperation objective. Cultural heritage was only marginally covered in the 2009 Brussels International Colloquium on "Culture and Creativity". Therefore, the human and social development & migration unit DEVCO/E3 organises a workshop on "cultural heritage and socio-economic development" in African countries. As cultural heritage is also an important point in the Joint Africa EU Strategy, North and South Africa are included in the geographical coverage. Participants will be EU Delegations staff, national partners, and selected cultural heritage experts.The workshop will concentrate on the uses of cultural heritage in the context of socio-economic development and poverty reduction.

Please find the draft programme in annex.