Culture

South Africa

• © UNESCO
• Bakenberg Festival

South Africa has 7 sites - 3 cultural, 3 natural and 1 mixed - inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Cape Floral Region Protected Areas are among the World Heritage sites threatened by climate change. The country receives support from the marine programme of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.

South Africa is carrying out operations to present some such sites to the public, while protecting others and training the communities concerned. Its Tentative List includes several natural and cultural sites. It supported the launching an an African fund to assist sub-Saharan States in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage.

In the field of intangible heritage, South Africa is drawing up political and legislative measures and preparing an inventory and studies of the range of its cultural expressions. It is very attached to the principles of cultural diversity and has spared no effort in formulating policies in this respect within UNESCO.

The UNESCO/WTO cultural tourism project on the Slave Route includes the restoration of sites and the tracing of itineraries linked to the memory of the slave trade and of slavery in the country.

As regards cultural industries, South Africa has been selected for the launching of the Label of Excellence on the African continent. This programme is designed to encourage the development of quality crafts.