September 6th, 2018: Approval of the programme for the protection and enhancement of the Sudanese cultural heritage

With Resolution 72 the Joint Committee approved the contribution in favour of UNESCO for the realization of the program of protection and enhancement of the cultural heritage of Sudan with a view to support social development. The program is aimed at the rehabilitation of the National Museum of Sudan, which, with its rich collection, testifies to the presence of civilizations rich in culture that have inhabited and characterized the history of the country from the Palaeolithic era to the X century after Christ.

The objective of the initiative is to enhance the only museum structure present and active in the national context. The re-development of the museum will ensure the start of innovation processes in the cultural sector of the entire country as well as economic development linked to the improvement of the capacities of relevant institutions in the field of planning and management of cultural events, heritage and in the tourism industry of the country.

With a turnover of 100,000 tourists per year, the Khartoum museum - built in 1955 and opened in 1971 - houses the largest and most complete Nubian archaeological collection in the world, including artefacts from the Paleolithic period to the Islamic period from important archaeological sites in Sudan.

Some of the interventions that Italy will finance in favor of UNESCO are to re-design, according to good practices of contemporary museography, an innovative exhibition layout that facilitates the museum visit; carrying out ordinary maintenance works of the building envelope and services; the restoration of the frescoes of the 9^th and 13^th centuries from the Nubian churches and saved during the UNESCO Savage Champaign mission in 1977; and finally the digital cataloging of 100,000 artifacts stored for more than 40 years to avoid illicit trafficking in museum material are just
The project also provides specific training courses for the Museum staff, so that it is able to support the promotion plan and cultural activities at the Museum itself.