The National Heritage Council of South Africa is a statutory body that is responsible for the preservation of the country’s heritage. Since its existence on 26 February 2004, it has managed to place heritage as a priority for nation-building and national identity.
The important areas that the NHC focuses on are:
- Policy development for the sector to meet its transformation goals.
- Public awareness and education.
- Knowledge production in heritage subjects that were previously neglected,
- Making funding available to projects that place heritage as a socio-economic resource.
They define Heritage as: “What is preserved from the past as the living collective memory of a people not only to inform the present about the past but also to equip successive generations to fashion their future. It is what creates a sense of identity and assures rootedness and continuity, so that what is brought out by dynamism of culture is not changed for its own sake, but it is a result of people’s conscious choice to create a better life.”
More info visit:http://www.nhc.org.za
