Culture

Madagascar

• © UNESCO
• Zafimaniry's traditional houses

World heritage is the main focus of cooperation between Madagascar and UNESCO.

The country has two natural sites and one cultural site on the World Heritage List. The cultural site - the royal Hill of Ambohimanga - received special assistance from UNESCO to deal with damages caused by exceptional rainfall and landslides. The country’s Tentative List comprises two cultural sites and three mixed sites.

The Woodcrafting Knowledge of the Zafimaniry community was proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003. An action plan was implemented to encourage the transmission of this know-how, to improve the living standards of the Zafimaniry and to preserve their natural environment.

In the framework of the Slave Route Programme, the project entitled "L'Utile…1761, Forgotten Slaves" was launched to shed light on the shipwreck of a schooner transporting slaves from Madagascar.