This interdisciplinary seminar will provide site managers and national directors with a unique opportunity to develop their skills and improve inter-level cooperation and communication, through one 4-week session for site managers followed by a cross-over weekend for site managers and directors. Finally, a week-long seminar will be held in Nairobi exclusively for national directors. Participants will have the chance to develop their proficiency in the implementation of their own trade, and in the final days of the managers’ conference both managers and national directors will participate in communal sessions to encourage cross-level dialogue and understanding to maximize capacities for effective management and realization of national strategies on the ground.
These extensive seminars will address a broad range of issues, largely looking at sustainable conservation practices, communication, development and monitoring approaches in the first four weeks, followed by a session oriented around national and integrated planning strategies. Diverse problems will be examined, such as poaching and developing new uses of technology for the monitoring of flora and fauna, as well as the smooth application of World Heritage and national management strategies.
These sessions have a dual-pronged approach: as a facilitation and elucidation of the World Heritage Convention objectives, plugging existing gaps in site management, but also the creation of a network of experts throughout Africa. A successful session was held for francophone countries in Dakar in May 2004, bringing together nine French-speaking African countries and paving the way for what should be an equally fruitful experience this year.