Ndalatando: The Minister of Culture, Filipe Zau, announced on Thursday that UNESCO may list Semba, an Angolan dance and music style, as World Cultural Heritage this year.

According to Angola Press News Agency, the minister stated that all necessary requirements have been fulfilled with UNESCO, which will decide on the classification of Semba as a World Heritage. The announcement was made during his three-day visit to Cuanza-Norte province, where he presided over the central event for National Culture Day on January 8th.

In addition to Semba, Filipe Zau highlighted other potential sites for the World Heritage List, including the Kwanza River corridor and the Cuito Cuanavale Battle Memorial. This demonstrates the Ministry of Culture’s ongoing efforts to acknowledge and preserve Angola’s cultural heritage.

The minister also emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to adopting strategies for preserving Angola’s national languages of African origin. He noted that a law is being drafted to grant special status to these languages, underlining their importance as a source of national identity. This initiative is part of Angola’s broader cultural preservation strategy as the country seeks to maintain its cultural uniqueness amid development.

Furthermore, Filipe Zau called for support from churches, particularly the Catholic Church, which has historically contributed to the dissemination of sacred scriptures in local languages. He advocated for the increased promotion of national languages in education, encouraging students to master them to preserve the country’s identity.