Launching of the Project for Rehabilitating the Sudanese National Museum in Khartoum, Sudan

On 29 November 2018, the UNESCO Khartoum Office signed agreement with Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities in Sudan to launch the Project “Protecting and Promoting the Sudanese Cultural Heritage in a Social Development Prospective: Rehabilitating the Sudanese National Museum”.

The signing ceremony took place in the Sudanese National Museum in front of about one hundred interested persons, who came for a lecture of Prof. Eugenio Fantusati "A new stand of King Natakamani from Abu Erteila and the realization of its replica" describing findings of the archaeological excavations in the Meroe Island World Heritage Site.

The ceremony was honoured by H.E. Mrs. Sumia Okoued, the State Minister in the Sudanese Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities (MoCTA); H.E. Ambassador Kamal Gubara, the Director of International Organizations Department in the Sudanese Ministry of Foreinf Affaires, H.E. Dr. Fabrizio Lobasso, the Italian Ambassador; H.E. Mr. Ramon Gil-Casares Satrostegui, the Spanish Ambassador; Amb. Amira Gornas, the previous Sudanese Ambassador to Italy; Dr. Vincenzo Racalbuto, the Head of AICS Regional Office in Khartoum; Ms. Valeria Romare, the Deputy Head of Mission at Embassy of Italy in Sudan; Dr. Abdelrahman Ali, the General Director of  the Sudanese National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM); Dr. Abdelgadir Noureddin, the Secretary General of the Sudanese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture; and Dr. Aiman Badri, the Officer in Charge for the UNESCO Khartoum Office.

After the lecture and welcoming and explanatory speeches of Dr. Abdelrahman Ali, Mrs. Sumia Okoued, Dr. Fabrizio Lobasso, Dr. Aiman Badri, and Dr. Abdelgadir Noureddin, Dr. Aiman Badri on UNESCO behalf signed the Donor Agreement with Italy with H.E. Dr. Fabrizio Lobasso, the Italian Ambassador, and the Supporting Agreement with Sudan with Mrs. Sumia Okoued the State Minister in the MoCTA.

The agreements allow to start the project “Protecting and Promoting the Sudanese Cultural Heritage in a Social Development Prospective: Rehabilitating the Sudanese National Museum”, which objectives include rehabilitating premises and upgrading exhibition of the Sudanese archaeological Museum, and promoting it as a cultural centre in Khartoum – in full accordance with the 2015 Recommendation concerning the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections.