This afternoon, two World Heritage Sites, Robben Island Museum and Le Morne Cultural Landscape of the Republic of Mauritius, signed a Twinning Agreement at the Atlantic Imbizo in the Clock Tower House, V&A Waterfront. The agreement was jointly signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Robben Island Museum and the Chairperson of Le Morne Cultural Landscape.
The Agreement acts a means of linking Robben Island Museum to other locations of social memory in Africa. Robben Island Museum and Le Morne Cultural Landscape share the similarity of being places where individuals were victorious in the face of immense hardship. At Robben Island, exile was the outcome of white segregationist rulings and Apartheid, while at Le Morne, abuse of contracted slaves effected exile. This social memory, of different yet like scenarios between the two World Heritage Sites, caused them to form an alliance, confirmed by the signing of the Agreement.
The Agreement strives to harmoniously encourage cultural and business relations. More specifically, it’s anticipated to encourage interactions between the South African and Mauritian Departments of Tourism, interchanges of best practices regarding conservation and management of the Sites, and collaborative publishing of the values and history of the Sites. It moreover aims to showcase the digital platforms of the Sites, such as websites, to increase their availability. Lastly, the hope is that the Agreement will aid the execution of the present Cultural Agreement between South Africa and Mauritius.
Photography Courtesy image