UNESCO Advocates Technological Advancement to Bridge Cultural Divides

James Sowole in Abeokuta

The UNESCO Institute for African Culture and International Understanding (IACIU) has stressed the need for African countries to embrace technological advancement in order to bridge the gap between the African culture and the cultures of other nations of the world.

The Director of the institute, Prof. Peter Okebukola, made the remark while addressing participants at the Africa Regional Intellectual Workshop, organised by the institute for students across the state and cultural artistes at the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Okebukola, who condemned the way African cultures were been belittled by the  Western world,  cautioned that no culture should be placed above another.
The scholar disclosed that the programme was designed  to educate and enlighten Africans on the importance of technology, as a bridge that links all cultures of the world together. According to Okebukola, technology would help bridge the African culture and other cultures of the world and would ensure the growth, as well as foster a more interconnected and culturally enriched global community.

He said, “The Institute for African culture and International Understanding (IACIU) was therefore established by UNESCO with the aim to further foster the capacities and knowledge of people through activities that promote cultural expressions through technology in line with the goals of the convention, which includes protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions and preserving our cultural heritage amongst others.

“It is in this respect that the Institute has taken it upon itself to continue to train and enlighten individuals in all fields irrespective of their cultural backgrounds without any form of discrimination or segregation, as we know that culture is all encompassing and the 2005 convention advocates for cultural equality.”
He added that the institute took  it upon itself to continue to train and enlighten individuals in all fields irrespective of their cultural backgrounds without any form of discrimination or segregation, as we know that culture is all encompassing and the 2005 convention advocates for cultural equality.

The convener of the programme Mrs Aderonke Olutola- Amos, who is a National Programme Officer at the Institute, stressed the need for Africans to guide their culture and be equipped with the knowledge of technology, saying this was the link between African culture and other cultures of the world.

 She said, “It is important for people, especially Africans to be aware of the importance of guiding their culture jealously and also to be enlightened on the various ways by which technology has served as a bridge between African culture and other cultures of the world.”

 Olutola- Amos lauded the Director of the Institute, Okebukola, for ensuring that the objectives of the UNESCO 2005 convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions are well and adequately implemented.