Djibouti consults national stakeholders to strengthen protection of cultural heritage

On 24 August 2021, the Djibouti Ministry for Youth and Culture, with support from UNESCO, organized a national consultation meeting with 28 key stakeholders to review national legislation, policies and measures for the protection of cultural property in times of armed conflict, in line with the guidance of the UNESCO 1954 Hague Convention and its two protocols, which Djibouti ratified in 2018.

This national meeting followed the two online information meetings held by UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa on 14 January 2021 and 15 July 2021, aiming to guide national focal points, UNESCO National Commissions and other stakeholders through the periodic reporting questionnaire format and encourage a participatory process for its preparation with a wide range of government and military stakeholders.

I applaud the new Ministry for Youth and Culture in Djibouti for taking such an active role in the protection of cultural property, and am looking forward to the national workshop planned for 20 and 21 September 2021 where UNESCO will support Djibouti’s efforts to fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property.
Prof. Hubert Gijzen, Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa

The 1954 Hague Convention is the first international treaty adopted with a universal scope on the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict and aims to preserve both movable and immovable property as of national importance, such as monuments of architecture, art or history and archaeological sites, works of art, manuscripts, books and other objects of artistic, historical or archaeological interest as well as scientific collections and important collections of objects of art.