Urgency to Act

African monuments wear the dusty veil of sadness. In the West region of Cameroon, one of the oldest kingdoms of the continent imposes itself. Foumban, its majestic royal palace, the creative genius of its craftsmen and the richness of its history fascinates visitors from around the world. The city of arts as it is commonly called, needs a sweep from the rulers in order to shine. In Tunis, the political capital of Tunisia, the famous Ahmed Bey palace, heritage of the Marsa in the North East of the country, no longer looks proud. In Mali, the city of Timbuktu, riddled with bullets has collapsed. The historical charge of this mythical place remains, but its cultural potential has lost its former glory.

So many examples, to translate the image of an Africa that cares little about its rich cultural heritage, which nevertheless makes the rest of the world jealous. The heritage and culture we neglect on the continent attracts and impresses the rest of the world. African public policies for the protection and maintenance of a cultural heritage must be set in motion in this century, which is moving at lightning speed. We no longer have time for observation. Now is the time for action and it needs to be at an accelerating speed. Let us affirm with Edouard Herriot, the French academician that “culture is what remains in a man when he has forgotten everything”, hence the urgency to act now.

The image on the left was taken by Kolo Magazine (KM). This authentic version can be found today in Foumban, Cameroon. The image on the right is an enhanced software illustration by KM. This is our vision, our dream: Restore, Protect and Enhance the African cultural heritage for the development of our continent.