The ocean along the west coast of Africa is especially rich in
underwater cultural heritage. Many shipwrecks provide testimony
to the various periods and aspects of the continent’s history;
the cruelty of the slave trade, the ferocity of wars or the peaceful
exchange and intercultural dialogue between faraway regions.
However, the looting of this underwater cultural heritage and the
destruction of its context are increasing rapidly and threaten to
deprive humanity of this heritage. Improvements in diving technology
have made the sites more accessible and, consequently, more vulnerable.
The main objectives of the Brazzaville Regional Conference are:
to promote the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater
Cultural Heritage among UNESCO Member States in the region; consider
the necessity of a legal and practical protection of such heritage;
and provide a forum for the exchange of national experiences.
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