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Media Statement
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
MONDAY, 23 JUNE 2008:
The community choir of the Matsamo/Mantenga cultural parks between Swaziland and South Africa will be taking the newly established transfrontier conservation brand “Boundless Southern Africa” on a six week tour of Europe. This forms part of an initiative to promote cultural activities and tourism related products within transfrontier conservation areas.
The Boundless Southern Africa brand was established as an outcome of the Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA)* 2010 Strategy which was endorsed by the nine Ministers responsible for tourism in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, in 2005.
The strategy focuses on promoting transfrontier conservation areas straddling the borders of these nine countries, as prime tourist attractions. In addition the transfrontier conservation areas are promoted as areas ideal for infrastructure development, especially in the neighbouring countries as infrastructure on the South African side of these TFCAs is relatively well developed. The strategy resides under one of the six legacy programmes for the 2010 Soccer World Cup whereby the soccer event is meant to have a lasting legacy on Africa.
The key focus for transfrontier conservation areas for many years has been that of promoting the concept of wildlife. This initiative aims to also promote the rich cultural heritage available in transfrontier conservation areas such as the Nama and San communities in Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and the story of the golden rhino in Limpopo Shashe Transfrontier Park.
The Matsamo/Mantenga Cultural parks between South Africa and Swaziland and within the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area, are excellent examples of cross-border community cultural attractions. The Matsamo/Mantenga Cultural parks, community owned projects, receive on average of 500 tourists per day and provide permanent jobs to 150 people.
Boundless Southern Africa aims to develop more of these cultural and community partnerships within transfrontier conservation areas as an outcome of the implementation of the TFCA 2010 Development Strategy.
The Matsamo/Mantenga Community Choir will perform at a large number of cultural events that will be attended by hundreds and thousands of people throughout Europe during June and July. An audio brand, in the form of the song “Boundless Southern Africa” was established in partnership with the Matsamo/Mantenga Community Choirs and will form part of the choir’s repertoire while performing in Europe. As such the choir will act as ambassadors for Boundless Southern Africa. The 33 member group comprises of 14 male and 20 female artists.
It is a partnership between the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism who is responsible for the implementation of the TFCA 2010 Development Strategy, and the Matsamo/Mantenga Cultural parks. The tour is sponsored by Mr Jan Lombard, stakeholder in Matsamo/Mantenga and Haley Sharpe Southern Africa.
The choir will be showcasing their unique talents during the international tour at the :
- World Folklore Olympiad of Brunssum in the Netherlands which is held every 4 years;
- the 50th edition of the World festival of Schoten in Belgium which is a very special occasion; and
- the prestigious international festival Op Roakeldais in Warffum, Netherlands
The three festivals will see participants from more than 50 countries perform to several hundreds of thousands of spectators. The choir will depart from OR Tambo on 23 June 2008 and return to South Africa on 20 July 2008.
Similar events will be taking place later this year and will continue to take place right up to the Soccer World Cup in 2010. It is believed that by “using culture to promote culture” the cultural attractions within TFCAs will receive the necessary awareness and will attract the required number of tourists in order to make these products sustainable both from an economic point of view as well as from a cultural heritage conservation view point.
* A TFCA is an area straddling across two or more international borders where the natural and cultural resources are collaboratively managed by the governments/authorities involved
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