Dakar — The importance of the Sub-Aquatic Cultural Heritage for Africa was highlighted on Saturday in Dakar (Senegal) by the head of the Department of Studies, Planning and Statistics of the Angolan Ministry of Culture, Afonso Valentim.

The Angolan official made the statement at the end of the meeting of the UN Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) that appealed to the African countries to ratify the earliest the Convention on Sub-Aquatic Cultural Heritage adopted in November 2001, during the 31st General Conference.

Afonso Valentim,who is also the coordinator of the sub-commission on culture of the National Commission on that UN body, said on the occasion that the Dakar meeting served to equip the participants with assorted information of great value that will enable the African States to ratify the Convention the earliest.

The ratification appeal was launched by UNESCO assistant director general for culture, Mounir Bouchenaki, at the end of the meeting at which Angola was represented by Afonso Valentim.

Mounir Bouchenaki recalled that the Convention seeks to safeguard of the Sub-Aquatic Cultural Heritage and the cooperation among member States, so that the research carried out by some are enjoyed by all.

The Convention also provides UNESCO member States with appropriate legal instruments for the protectin of the Sub-Aquatic Cultural Heritage as a precious patrimony.

The Convention defines as Sub-Aquatic Heritage, any vestiges of human existence, presenting a cultural, historic and archaeological character, found partially or totally, periodically or permanently immerse for at least 100 years.

The meeting that was attended by experts from the whole continent, opened on June 7, with the analysis of the Convention on the Safeguard of the Cultural and Non-Material Heritage of 2003, also submitted to the African States for ratification.