Department Profile
The Department of Culture at the
Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism is responsible to supervise the
National Museum of Liberia, the collective societies of Liberia (Musician
Union, the Movie Union, the National Culture Union, the Copyright Association,
the Writer Association, the Association of Arts and Craft Dealers and the
National Cultural Center.
Currently,
the Department of Culture is working on a plan to rehabilitate the National
Museum in Monrovia. Considering that the Museum is a 19th century
brick building, the Department is hopeful that our international partners will
provide us with a suitably-trained conservation architects to supervise the
work. Additionally, efforts are being made to establish contact with the
Brooklyn Museum to support the National Museum of Liberia as it is said to have
some of its finest arts collection from Liberia.
The National Cultural Center is being relocated to Margibi County . The ground breaking ceremony has taken place on the 50 acres of land acquired by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. Currently, we are clearing the land, which will be followed by a fencing project. The fencing of the National Cultural Center ground is intended to prevent unscrupulous individual from encroaching on the land as was done in the case of the old Kendeja. It is hoped that following the fencing project, government will put a bid for the architectural design of the new National Cultural Center.
Right now, the Department is working
along with the collective societies of Liberia (Musician Union, the Movie
Union, and the National Culture Union, copy right association, the writer
association, the association of Arts and craft Dealers) in devising plans by
which these groups can be more viable and productive in this new political
dispensation.
Additionally, the Department of
Culture is discussing a national dress code and proposing Official Days to wear
traditional Liberian attire; the establishment of Cultural clubs at Liberian
schools; a National Week for Cultural Festivities; and the promotion of
traditional Liberian music on various radio stations across Liberia.
Considering that the years of war
eroded the trust that existed between people from different ethnic and
religious backgrounds, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in
partnership with International Alert hosted a regional Peace and Cultural
Festival for three days, where Liberia’s rich cultural diversity was showcased
along with sound dialogue among our traditional leaders. The National Peace and
Cultural Festival was a resounding success with one message “Liberians should
not allow their diversity to be seen as a front for conflict.”
For these activities, we are
encouraging our international partners and all well-meaning Liberians to
unreservedly support the Cultural Department of the Ministry of Information as
we remain engaged with our cultural heritage and work to ensuring that those
attributes of our colorful past are consistently used in fulfillment of the
dreams of a peaceful and prosperous Liberia.