South Africa: Pledges Liberia Peace Museum Technical Support

• South Africa has pledged a fully funded technical and cultural mission to Liberia to support its proposed National Peace, Reconciliation and Memorial Museum.
• The commitment followed high-level discussions between South African Minister Gayton McKenzie and Liberian Minister Hadja Mamaka Bility, who is leading a study tour.
• The South African mission will include experts from museums, archives, and those familiar with South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission process.
• The Liberian delegation's study tour included a four-day visit to South Africa, where they met officials, visited historical sites, and engaged with UNISA and UNDP.
• This South African engagement followed a previous phase of the delegation's study tour in Rwanda, focusing on post-conflict reconciliation and memorialization.

This significant commitment from South Africa is poised to bolster Liberia's efforts in establishing a National Peace, Reconciliation and Memorial Museum, a key component of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's national reconciliation agenda.

The South African government has committed to dispatching a fully funded technical and cultural mission to Liberia, aimed at assisting in the establishment of the proposed National Peace, Reconciliation and Memorial Museum. This significant commitment from South Africa is poised to bolster Liberia's efforts in establishing a National Peace, Reconciliation and Memorial Museum, a key component of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's national reconciliation agenda.

The pledge emerged from high-level discussions between South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, and Liberia's Minister of State without Portfolio, Hadja Mamaka Bility. Minister Bility is currently leading a Liberian delegation on an extensive study tour focused on peace, reconciliation, and historical preservation, a journey initiated by President Boakai to advance national healing and safeguard Liberia's historical narrative.

Minister McKenzie has directed that the South African mission comprise senior experts drawn from various fields, including museums, memorial sites, archives, and cultural institutions. The team will also include specialists in artifact repatriation initiatives and individuals with deep familiarity with South Africa's own Truth and Reconciliation Commission process. This diverse group is slated to travel to Monrovia to conduct technical workshops, share invaluable expertise, and assist Liberia in developing robust systems for the collection, preservation, and presentation of its history.

Minister Bility expressed her appreciation for the commitment, indicating Liberia's eagerness to collaborate with the South African government and its institutions as plans for the museum progress towards implementation. The South African technical mission is strategically timed to coincide with the inaugural meeting of the proposed museum's steering committee, facilitating several days of intensive technical consultations between Liberian and South African experts. McKenzie underscored the historical bond between the two nations, referring to them as "brother and sister nations" and recalling Liberia's crucial support during South Africa's liberation struggle against apartheid. The initiative underscores a commitment to mutual learning and cooperation, with Minister McKenzie emphasizing that the collaboration extends beyond mere instruction, aiming for shared insights from both nations.

The Liberian delegation's four-day study tour in South Africa involved a series of significant engagements. They held discussions with senior government officials responsible for planning, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as representatives from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Further meetings took place with officials from the University of South Africa (UNISA), where discussions centered on potential cooperation in knowledge-sharing, specialized training, and postgraduate education for Liberians in critical areas such as museum development, archives, peacebuilding, and reconciliation.

During their visit, the delegation toured several prominent cultural and historical institutions, including the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Hector Pieterson Museum, Mandela House, Freedom Park, and the Apartheid Museum. They also engaged with UNDP South Africa. Ambassador Aliou Mamadou Dia, the UNDP Resident Representative in Liberia, characterized the outcomes of these engagements as a significant boost for Liberia's museum initiative and reiterated the agency's steadfast support for the government's reconciliation efforts. This South African leg of the tour followed an earlier phase in Rwanda, where the delegation examined that country's experiences in post-conflict reconciliation, memorialization, and historical preservation.

The proposed National Peace, Reconciliation and Memorial Museum is envisioned as a cornerstone for preserving Liberia's rich and complex history, serving as a vital institution for national memory and healing. Upon their return to Liberia, the delegation is expected to brief President Boakai on the comprehensive outcomes of both the Rwanda and South Africa engagements. This will involve consolidating lessons learned from the entire study tour and meticulously preparing for the arrival of the South African technical mission.

The collaborative efforts between Liberia and South Africa, supported by international partners, signify a concerted drive to establish a lasting legacy of peace and remembrance, ensuring that Liberia's past is thoughtfully documented and presented for future generations.

Source: Original reporting via {source}