The main cultural assets of Madagascar

Madagascar is well known for its unique biodiversity and geological history, as demonstrated by its national parks, and the evolution of its plant and animal life. Located along the African Coast, Madagascar is an important transoceanic hub connecting ports, rich in history. Madagascar also reflects the spirit and culture of the Malagasy people – their traditions, arts and crafts, and also historical sites. The following is a list of Madagascar’s main cultural heritage inventories:

• The 1753 objects part of the collections of the Andafiavaratra Palace Museum, rescued from the fire in 1995 and 1050 objects of the Rova Museum of Ilafy, representing the historical importance of Kingdom of Madagascar
• 177 cultural and natural sites and monuments classified national heritage
• 47 elements part of the intangible cultural heritage according to the April 2015 Decree 13.428-2015 on the entry of the national register of the national list

The legal framework on cultural heritage conservation

In 1983 Madagascar ratified the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and it became eligible to have properties be included on the World Heritage List (Ordinance n°82-029 of 06 November 1982- Decree n°83-116 of 31 March 1983). Madagascar also ratified the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006 (law 2013-017 of 20 February 2014).

The cultural and natural sites on the World Heritage List

The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga Rova and The Rainforests of the Atsinanana were inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001 and 2007 respectively, and the Woodcrafting knowledge of the Zafimaniry were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

Madagascar is a Member State of ICCROM since 03/09/1963

Mandates in ICCROM Council since 1958:

ICCROM Staff since 1959: - None -

Governmental Cultural Institutions

• Ministry of Communication and Culture

Museums and Cultural Heritage Institutions

• Art and Archaeological Centre Antananarivo (Centre d’Art et d’Archéologie Antananarivo)
• CEREL Centre (CEREL, Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche Linguistique) Toamasina
• CEDRATOM Centre (Centre de Documentation et de Recherche sur l’Art et les Traditions Orales de Madagascar) Toliara
• Queen’s Palace Museum
• Ambohimanga Museum
• Andafiavaratra Palace Museum
• Rova Museum of Ilafy

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