Corporate South Africa urged to support African World Heritage Fund

"It was an inclusive and representative conference where we were able to exchange best practices and share knowledge on heritage preservation and sustainable development. This conference will therefore be remembered for having ushered in a new and inclusive stakeholder framework for implementing good practices in both managing and preserving heritage on the African continent and the rest of the world," Mashatile said.

Parties must collaborate

"This conference pronounced that the rights and benefits from minerals extracted from our heritage sites also belong to communities living in and around the sites. We therefore call upon all parties to collaborate with one another in capacity building initiatives and exchange of expertise. This will help in increasing the number of sites nominated into the World Heritage List. It will also help in strengthening the management of existing World Heritage Sites.

"We have an obligation to support our institutions, including the African Union structures and the Africa World Heritage Fund. This we must do because these structures are critical to the realisation of the goals we have set for ourselves," he concluded.

To celebrate the richness of the African World Heritage Sites, the AWHF is producing a coffee table book that will take readers on a journey from the north, where the might of the Pharaohs began civilisation, to the south, where humanity took its first steps. Splendidly displaying the highlights of the 126 World Heritage Sites in 38 of the 54 countries on the African continent, this glossy publication is a visual expedition that will explore the marvels of these proclaimed sites. The book will be launched and distributed at the African Mining Indaba at the Cape Town ICC in February 2013.

Opportunity to support AWHF

Also included will be exclusive extended comment provided by the patrons of the AWHF and individuals who have played a role in championing African people, places and stories. "The proceeds from book sales will be used to support the sponsorship and fundraising drive of the AWHF spearheaded projects in Africa," adds director of the AWHF, Dr. Webber Ndoro.

This limited edition book also offers Southern African mining and industrial corporates the opportunity to support the work of the fund and further the knowledge of these sites, 16 of which are in Southern Africa, through sponsorship, advertising and the purchase of customised dust jackets.

"The diamond sponsor would receive 500 books with a logo on the first page, a double page advertorial spread and a customised dust cover. This is an excellent opportunity to visibly support cultural and heritage issues to more than 5 000 readers, as these books continue to grace the reception areas of international embassies, businesses and homes," explains Teresa Jenkins, MD of Litha Communications, partners in the publishing project with AWHF.