UNESCO Dar es Salaam Office contributes in general to the achievement of the overarching objective Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace and to two Strategic Program Objectives:
- Strengthening the contribution of culture to sustainable development;
- Sustainably protecting and enhancing cultural heritage.
Dar es Salaam Culture Program is carried out within the framework of the United Nations Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP) 2011- 2015 in TANZANIA. UNESCO supports the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania to implement culture conventions in the following main areas:
Conservation and promotion of world heritage
- Cultural world heritage
- Natural world heritage
- Mixed world heritage
Safeguarding of Intangible cultural heritage (ICH)
- Capacity building activities
- Inventories
Culture and Development
- Integration of culture in National policies and strategy for growth and reduction of poverty
LATEST NEWS
CURRENT PROJECTS
Documentation of intangible cultural heritage elements among the Chagga and the Maasai
The aim of the research project was to contribute to the documentation of the cultural heritage and history of the Maasai who inhabit the area within a major UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ngorongoro, and the Chagga occupying the area around the Kilimanjaro National Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The documentation exercise was conducted by two teams of researchers from November 2016 to January 2017.
The outputs of the reports offer an in-depth and informative glimpse into the social reality of the Maasai and Chagga communities, including topics such as environmental sustainability, changing gender roles, and examines opportunities for the development of cultural tourism, which could be enhanced in regards to the rich cultural legacy of the respective ethnic groups.
The final reports were delivered to the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports (MICAS) to support the national inventory of intangible cultural elements.
Video - Olng'esher Ceremony - Maasai Rite of Passage of Young Warriors into Junior Elders
Community Art Space in Ololosokwan
Funded by the European Union Delegation in Tanzania, the Community Art Space (CAS) is an exceptional art centre for the Maasai community built in the remote village of Ololosokwan Village in Ngorongoro District to exhibit the Maasai’s unique and vibrant intangible and tangible cultural heritage, linked to the promotion of craft as the creative industry.
The Art Space’s mission is not only to preserve the rich intangible and tangible cultural heritage of the Maasai people, but to establish and support disadvantaged young girls and women in producing and marketing of crafts, as well as to connect the Maasai community to the world and document the changes taking place in the Maasai Cultural Heritage.
The information Centre in the centre is used to display Maasai artefacts, traditional knowledge and practices. It makes it possible for visitors, tourists and young people, to learn and gain insight of the Maasai culture and traditions.
The Maasai Boma is created beside the centre to showcase what daily life is like in a Maasai home, and gives the opportunity for visitors to meet and interact with the community.
Video - Inaugration of the Community Art Space in Ololosokwan
Video - Conceptualization of the Community Art Space in Ololoskwan