International Day for Monuments and Sites   |18 April 2023

Mr Andre

‘Let us reconnect with our heritage’

The Seychellois population are being urged to reconnect with our heritage by engaging ourselves, our children, in cultural awareness activities.

The appeal comes in a message from the secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage & the Arts, David Andre, to commemorate the International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day, which is celebrated around the world on April 18.

The full text of Mr Andre’s message reads:

“The International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day, is celebrated around the world on April 18 and it first began in the year 1982 by the International Council for Monuments and Sites (Icomos) and was later adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

“Such day is important on the calendar of the Seychelles National Heritage Resource Council as it provides an opportunity to promote the heritage of Seychelles and allow the people to reflect deeper on the historical contributions that our forbearers made so that we can today understand and appreciate our creole culture. In Seychelles we have extended the day to a week, whereby the Heritage Week is not only an occasion to reflect on the accomplishments and impediments in heritage management but most significantly, it is a chance to reconnect with our heritage and appreciate the possibilities it offers in the future.

“This year’s theme ‘Heritage Change’seeks to promote the importance and impact of changes in heritage and how it affects the social, economic and physical landscapes of a society. Change is inevitable and Seychelles is continuously experiencing cultural changes over the course of its 250 years of existence. These forces of change are visible in different situations such as the observed climate changes, technological inventions, social behaviour and beliefs. 

“No country or continent has remained unaffected by the globalising tendencies and Seychelles is no exception. The responsibility of managing Seychelles heritage is impacted on a continuous basis by cultural and economic globalisation, limited financial resources, and the growth of invasive external influences which somehow shrouded the true value and impact of what effective heritage management can contribute to a dynamic society.

“Seychelles, as a small island nation, needs to reflect on how these changes impact the very foundations of heritage practices and in the same breath, how as a nation we can integrate heritage conservation and preservation as part of sustainable development. The Seychelles National Heritage Resource Council is working on an extensive programme to create exactly that:  a balanced integration of heritage management, cultural tourism and commercial development. The Venn’s Town Mission Lodge, La Plaine St Andre and Domaine de Val des Près are such examples of effective changes in heritage.

“In the same way that climate change is shifting familiar cultural landscapes and environmental spaces, we have witnessed changes in the physical and geographical landscape in Seychelles; erosion on the coastal areas of our islands and weathering of certain heritage sites and monuments. The technological change is also transforming communication and information networks, and dramatically changing lifestyles and landscapes are creating new meanings and platforms for cultural innovations. Nowadays we see young entrepreneurs having start up business geared towards integrating traditions and heritage knowledge into technological programmes and apps which allow the sharing of traditional knowledge to wider audiences, notably, to the Seychelles diasporas around the world.

“Since cultural heritage is created and valued by people, it seems quite evident that changes in lifestyles, values, and economics will undoubtedly have significant impacts on both the form and significance of heritage. It is therefore important that each and everyone of us, take some time this week to reflect on the impact, contribution and positive change that each individual can make towards the conservation and preservation of Seychelles heritage.

“Our actions matter, by engaging ourselves, our children in cultural awareness activities, we are truly reconnecting with our heritage and enhancing our cultural appreciation which helps define our creole identify.” 

David Andre

Secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage & the Arts