Tunisia officially received Wednesday the certificate of inscription of Baron Rodolphe d’Erlanger (1910-1932)’s documentary heritage on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
The inscription certificate was handed over to Minister of Cultural Affairs Hayet Guettat Guermazi at a ceremony held at Ennejma Ezzahra palace.
This testifies to keenness to enhance national heritage, the minister told attendees, mainly Minister of Education Ali Boughdiri in his capacity as President of the Tunisian National Committee for Education, Science and Culture, Regional Director at UNESCO Office for the Maghreb, based in Rabat, Eric FALT, Director General of National Archives Hedi Jalleb, Director General of Ennejma Ezzahra palace Saloua Ben Hafaidh as well as ambnassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions in Tunisia.
The inscription is an acknowledgment of the universal value of the musicologist’s documentary heritage for researchers in Tunisian and Arab musicology.
The documentary heritage of Baron Rodolphe d’
Erlanger – varied in shape and content- demonstrates his deep attachment to Arab music. Inventory, scientific description and digitisation took six years; many researchers and experts in documentation, archives, digitisation and musiciology were involved in this process.
Eric Falt said the move is unprecedented in the Arab world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation seeks to safeguard heritage for the next generations.
An exhibition held as part of this ceremony displayed copies de manuscripts and music notations.
Upon a proposal by Tunisia, the documentary heritage of Baron Rodolphe d’Erlanger was inscribed by UNESCO on its Memory of the World Register last May 25, 2023, along with 64 documentary collections. This took the overall number of inscribed collections to 494.
Baron Rodolphe d’Erlanger (1872-1932) was the first orientalist to settle in an Arab country, namely Tunisia, and get in touch with scholars and music masters in a bid to launch a cultural and civilisationa
l project designed to promote Arabic music.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
Kenya: Conservationists in Kenya are facing a new challenge following the successful increase in the population of endangered black rhinos. The primary concern now is locating new ecological spaces suitable for translocating these animals.
According to Kenya News Agency, the head of research and species conservation at Olpejeta Conservancy, the anti-poaching measures in Kenya have been effective, leading to a significant rise in black rhino numbers. “We have successful stories relative to others in Africa on stemming poaching of the rhinos. The numbers are growing rapidly and now, we are in dire need for new space to accommodate the growing population,” Mutisya stated in a recent media interview.
Mutisya emphasized the urgent requirement for additional land to support an anticipated increase in the black rhino population. He indicated that Kenya needs enough space to accommodate at least 500 black rhinos in the next five years to ensure the continued breeding and growth of the species.
He pointed out that key sanctuaries in Kenya, including Olpejeta Conservancy, have reached their carrying capacity. Olpejeta, ideally suited for 120 rhinos, currently hosts an excess of 40 animals. “Olpejeta through scientific research, hosts 120 rhinos without compromising their ability to continue growing, and by now, we have surpassed by 40 rhinos. There is demand for us to work together and secure more territories for the critically endangered species,” Mutisya explained.
Ian Muiruri, Head of Community Programmes, praised the local residents for their role in conservation efforts. He credited the absence of poaching incidents over the past six years to the community’s vigilance and cooperation with the conservancy. “In the last six years, we haven’t had any incident of poaching, thanks to our community who give intelligence to the conservancy and their commitment to conservation,” Muiruri said.
However, the process of translocating rhinos is complex and sensitive. The animals must be sedated and then revived, a procedure that carries significant risks. This was highlighted by the unfortunate incident in 2018, where eight rhinos died during translocation from Nairobi and Nakuru National Parks to Tsavo East National Park, a setback to conservation efforts.