Culture, the Arts and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir has underscored Kenya’s commitment to sustainably exploit her cultural and heritage resources.
Speaking in France during the 42nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO, Ummi said the Cabinet has approved the Culture Bill 2023 which aims to provide the national legislative framework for promoting and protecting its diverse cultures.
She said Kenya has a rich cultural heritage and is endowed with diverse cultural expression and heritage resources.
“The republic of Kenya and its constitution recognizes the diversity of her people under article 11 which provide guidelines for protecting and promoting culture as the foundation of our nation and the cumulative civilization of the Kenyan people.” She told the forum.
This even as she assured members that the Government of Kenya supports the resolutions proposed for the implementation of the Draft Programme and Budget for Major Programme IV (Culture), that will see Kenya broaden her cooperation with UNESCO in different sectors of the economy.
She informed members that Kenya’s parliament will soon table and debate the report on the ratification of the 1970 convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property and the 1954 convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict.
According to Ummi, Kenya has also prioritized the digital and the creative economy agenda among the key pillars of the government bottom up economic transformation agenda in its development plan.
“We are keen to support macro, small and medium enterprises and skill development to promote the value chain of creation, production and dissemination of cultural goods and services.” She noted.
