09 Sep 2013

Some speakers who facilitated at the media seminar on the World Heritage Convention and nomination of the Okavango Delta for World Heritage Listing have hailed the media houses for playing a vital role in promoting world heritage.

They revealed that the media needed to be saluted for being at the forefront to disseminate information about what is happening around the world.

One of the speakers, Mr Douglas Tsiako of Mmegi said journalists played a constructive role in information dissemination and adding that they also made some issues successful. He said at times they prevented some events happening because they present facts and evidence.

Since the media representatives were briefed on World Heritage Convention and nomination of the Okavango Delta for World Heritage Listing, Kgosi Oleyo Ledimo thanked the government for nominating Okavango Delta as one of the World Heritage site. He said the Ngamiland community had played a big role in conserving the site hence the nomination.

“We took care of the delta and we have been cooperative with relevant departments to ensure that the listing comes into reality,” he added. Kgosi Ledimo revealed that the delta was key to the local economy as the communities made a living through fishing and fetching of the traditional fruit (Tswii).

He also credited the media for doing a wonderful job to raise awareness about activities taking place around.

The UNESCO culture specialist, Mr Damir Dijakoic informed the house that it is important to involve the media as a key partner in promoting issues of World heritage.

He stated that Botswana is a state party to the UNESCO 1972 Convention concerning the protection of World Cultural and Natural heritage.

The country ratified the UNESCO 1972 Convention in 1998 and thus committed to ensuring the identification, protection, conservation in its cultural and natural heritage to be outstanding universal value to humanity.

Mr Dijakoic discussed the nomination process and listing Okavango Delta noting that Botswana is leading in the cultural heritage process noting that UNESCO encourages countries to consider culture and development when listing sites.

He said for any country to list a site, it should fulfill ten specific criteria set by the World Heritage Committee adding that there should be a description of the outstanding universal value.

According to him, a country should also explain which criteria does the site respond to and emphasised the importance of the role of local communities at World Heritage properties and the need to balance conservation and development.

Mr Dijakoic observed that it is vital to address important question of how to strike the balance between preserving natural and cultural heritage, while at the same time allowing for the economic development that our African communities are ripe for.

He praised Botswana for nominating Okavango Delta for World Heritage Listing noting that it is a good initiative as the delta contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.

In terms of statements of authenticity integrity, he observed that Delta is a massive physiographic feature that covers 16 000 km2 of land with a wide range of natural features that have only been undergoing geological processes.

The area therefore, accommodates all the natural processes encompassing the geomorphic, hydrogeological and biological components.

There is little transformation still operating in near natural aspects of the environment.
There are no manmade dams and major hydrological infrastructural developments such as canals and water abstraction.
However, the only developments that have taken place are limited tourism activities being negligible. Ends