By Omari Jackson
Monrovia – Liberia stands on the brink of losing vital parts of its cultural heritage unless decisive action is taken to ratify key UNESCO conventions, warned Kekura Malawala Kamara, Liberia’s Art and Culture Ambassador, at a press conference upon his return from the UNESCO Conference on Heritage Affairs in Sivas, Turkey.
Ambassador Kamara spoke on Friday evening (May 9) upon his arrival at the Roberts International Airport. Heads of a cross section of the creative industry, led by cultural performers, gave him a rousing welcome, a gesture that symbolized the urgency of preserving Liberia’s heritage.
Speaking passionately, Kamara said, “A nation’s identity lives in its heritage. To protect our heritage is to safeguard the very essence of who we are.”
He urged Liberia’s government to ratify eight key UNESCO conventions. Doing so, he argued, would unlock financial resources, technical expertise, and international partnerships necessary to protect Liberia’s tangible and intangible cultural assets.
The ambassador highlighted iconic landmarks such as Providence Island and the Ducor Palace as sites ripe for transformation into centers for education, tourism, and economic development. “We can create jobs while telling our story,” he added.
Kamara emphasized the unifying power of Liberia’s oral traditions, dances, and ancestral stories, calling them “threads that connect generations.”
He warned of the consequences of inaction: “Every day we delay, we risk the destruction of historical sites due to environmental threats, urbanization, or neglect.”
Calling on the National Legislature to act with urgency, he urged all Liberians—artists, educators, youth, and community leaders—to take ownership of the nation’s heritage.
“Liberia will not be remembered for what it lost,” Kamara concluded, “but for what it protected.”
