 |
Programmes |
|
Cape Verde-Cultural
Heritage
| Cidade
Velha, a probable case of registration on the list of World Heritage
Sites |
 Cape
Verde, a State Party since 1988 to the Convention on the Protection of
World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites adopted by UNESCO in 1972 will
submit for the second time, an application for the registration of the
Cidade Velha cultural and historical site as a World Heritage Site during
the first quarter of 2008.
Cidade Velha, originally called Ribeira Grande is a major
site in the history of the slave trade and slavery. It is also the cradle
of the Cape Verdian nation. This historical city which is located on the
island of Santiago, was the first city built by the Europeans South of
the Sahara and the junction of the principal Atlantic sea routes linking
Europe, America and Africa between the 15th and 17th century. This strategic
geographical situation had transformed Ribeira Grande into a prosperous
trading port. However, Ribeira Grande was not just an entrepôt port
of slaves. Indeed, the slaves transited there for a more or less protracted
stay and received the rudiments of European culture before being re-exported
to Europe or the Americas. The city also served as an experimental centre
for the adaptation of numerous animal and plant species before their introduction
into Europe, Africa and other tropical regions like Brazil or Argentina.
Numerous ruins such as those of the big Sé Cathedral as well as
the multiple architectural buildings such as the impressive Sao Felipe
Royal Fortress bear eloquent testimony to the prosperity of Cidade Velha
during this period.
Unfortunately, it is this same strategic position and this prosperity
which made it the preferred target of corsairs and pirates. The famous
English corsair Francis Drake sacked the city several times. To this situation
of permanent insecurity, was added the opening of the ports of Guinea
to foreign slave traders while only Ribeira Grande held until then, the
monopoly of business. The slave trade route was then diverted and the
Cape Verdian port of call was gradually abandoned. The city of Ribeira
Grande fell into ruins and, together with them, disappeared its name substituted
for 'Cidade Velha': The 'Old City'. In this name are contained the plot
and tragedy of the black slave trade but also the cultural cross-breeding
generated by this forced encounter.
Contact:
Ms. Marie Andrée DIALLO,
Consultant
Email:ma.diallo@unesco.org
Tel: 33 849 23 23
Fax: 33 823 86 22/23
|
