The Power of Culture

Theme: Cultural heritage

Cultural heritage is generally associated with archives, works of art, places of worship and monuments. But it also exists in less tangible forms: language, music and dance, festivities, rituals and traditional craftsmanship. Cultural heritage is important to the identity of a society. In times of need, songs, writings and works of art can be a beacon of hope and comfort. Cultural heritage reinforces cultural and historical self-awareness. Monuments and art treasures make a shared past visible and thus strengthen inter-cultural ties.

Rescue mission for popular Haitian religion
Western clichés have made vodou something to be feared, but in 2009 on Haiti, the still-controversial vodou culture has been nominated to receive its own museum.

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Cultural heritage

The Power of Culture on hiatus

juni 2010 -

As of July 2010 The Power of Culture will no longer be updated until further notice. The platform unfortunately can’t be maintained without funding by organizations who attach importance to such an initiative.

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Soccer City: enduring symbol of a hospitable and safe South Africa?

June 2010 -

A 'calabash' that reflects the melting pot of the African population: this is what the recently totally renovated soccer stadium in Johannesburg is being called.

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Review

Dreaming of the New African Architecture

may 2010 -

Modern architecture in Africa is inseparably linked to the post-colonial era. Architect Antoni Folkers has written a book about the sometimes difficult relationship between New Architecture and traditional African architecture.

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African Heritage threatened

March 2010 -

In March of 2010 a raging fire destroyed the graves of four Bugandan kings just outside the Ugandan capital of Kampala. The incident is all the more regrettable because Africa still leads the Unesco World Heritage List

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Worldsite

Tsikaya, músicos do interior

oktober 2009 -

Tsikaya.org is more than a website: it's the first digital music archive of Angola.

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Heritage Day Brazil: looking for the new Maurício de Nassau

October 2009 -

During Heritage Day Brazil, which took place in Rotterdam early October, a fresh, broad perspective on international cooperation in heritage preservation was promoted.

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Broom exhibition in Rajasthan elevates the seemingly insignificant

August 2009 -

The Arna-Jharna desert museum of Rajasthan shows the social, cultural and economic importance of the - at first sight - humble broom.

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Interview

Punk rocker from Mongolia switches to folk music

August 2009 -

From punk musician to neo-traditional folksinger is a radical change. Especially when the musician is a young Chinese with Mongolian roots from Beijing.

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South Africa entranced by Sarah Bartmann

July 2009 -

The South African Ministry of Culture launched a contest for the design of a memorial centre focusing on Sarah - Saartjie - Bartmann and her people, the Khoi San in March 2009.

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Antique African ceramics disputed in Switzerland

June 2009 -

The exposition African Terra Cotta: a Millenary Heritage, on display until 15 September 2009 in the Barbier-Mueller-museum in Geneva, has been targeted in a campaign against art theft.

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Themes

Guide