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Workshop

Title: "Genius loci": a sense of place

Dates: November 29 to December 3, 2004

Location: EPA, Porto-Novo

Aim: To point out to environment and urban planning professionals the necessity to carry out intervention policies and to develop land planning policies which take into account the safeguarding and the promotion of the identity of African territories.

Target audience: African professionals in charge of urban planning and environment, heads of rehabilitation projects from the French- and Portuguese-speaking countries of EPA's network.

Context: The quality of life has become a priority nowadays. The way we look at cultural heritage, whether architectural, urban or landscape, has also changed. Testimony of the collective memory, cultural heritage plays a new role in the constitution of the contemporary landscape. It is not only important to preserve here or there traces of the past, but to make them participate in the development of our environment. The coexistence of new buildings and old buildings, but also the bonds between existing districts and new districts, are the greatest concern of authorities as well as citizens. Unfortunately, in Africa, there exists little dialogue between the structures of management of cultural heritage on the one hand, and those in charge of urban planning and environment on the other hand. This sometimes leads to urban planning projects which destroy the identity of the town.

The ambition of this workshop is, by particularly taking into account the evolution of the situation in Africa, to take part in the renewal of the thought on cultural heritage and land planning practices on the continent.

Content and methodology:
- Talks, debates
- Case studies
- Practical work
- Field trips
- etc.

Coordination and facilitators: Institut national du patrimoine (National heritage institute) - Inp / School of African Heritage - EPA

Conditions of participation: To be able to finance tuition fees, travel expenses and accomodation in Porto-Novo (Benin). The average total cost by participant is 1.500.000FCFA.

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