You are here: Home  News  Heritage Africa

a a a Subscribe RSS Rene Teijgeler - LinkedIn

 

Tanzania: 'Cultural Heritage to Be Used More Vigorously'

Published on 11 May 2010

Author(s): Tanzania Daily News/Iman Mani

Type:  News

The ambassadors from Sweden attended the on-going National Museum and House of Culture project in Dar es Salaam

Tanzania has been urged to use its cultural heritage potential more energetically, as an engine for development and poverty eradication. Resident Ambassador of Sweden, Staffan Herrstrom told the ’Daily News’ today, just after inspecting the on-going National Museum and House of Culture project in Dar es Salaam, which he hopes will be completed in such a spirit. "It’s a great project which is almost completed," Herrstrom said. "I’m very happy to see that now Tanzania, through the house of culture, will have in the heart of the city a house of culture that is able to present in Tanzania culture and also host so many cultural events," he added.

The ambassador congratulated the museum’s Director, Dr Paul Msemwa and his team of architects for what he called "a beautiful building" and stressed the importance of the government securing funds so that "this great asset" that is the result of co-operation between the two countries is kept operational after its opening. He was accompanied by two former Swedish ambassadors to Tanzania: Torvald Akesson and Sten Rylander, who are now representing their country in Mozambique and Zimbabwe respectively. Also on the tour were Swedish ambassadors to Zambia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Ambassador of Sweden in Zambia, Marie Anderssan de Frutos, said she found the project very inspiring; especially the history part, which she feels is being under valued. African history is under valuated and needs to have a revival. There has to be an African pride of this fantastic history," she said, "that does not start with the colonialist but comes from million of years before."

Dr Msemwa said the presence of the six ambassadors was due to their curiosity concerning their government’s support for the project. He was pleased that they left satisfied with the manner in which the resources are being used and said they are eagerly waiting for the official launch before the end of the year. The work is on schedule to reach target now that the government has "pulled up its socks to honour its agreement" where capital is concerned, he added.

Back to previous page