According to Dr Lassina Simporé, Director of the World Heritage Sites, this visit is "a strong signal that the President gives to our compatriots, a signal that shows that the Government is aware that we have an exceptional heritage which must be protected."

The celebrations continued with traditional and religious authorities, and people of the southwest region under the theme "Cultural and Natural Heritage: What synergy action for its preservation? »

6 years commemorated

With its six meter high walls, the ruins of Loropéni are the best preserved fortress in the Lobi area and are part of a larger group of 100 stone enclosures that bear testimony to the power of the trans-Saharan gold trade. Built at least 1,000 years ago, these ruins are located near the border of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, and extend over 11,130 m2. The site was occupied by the Lohron or Koulango people who controlled the extraction and transformation of gold in the region when it reached its apogee from the 14th to the 17th century. Much mystery surrounds this site, and large parts have yet to be excavated.

Currently, Burkina Faso is preparing a nomination dossier for the iron metallurgy sites of Bwi and Boose areas for which it received an international assistance from the UNESCO World Heritage Site Fund.