A FUTURE FOR THE PAST

Historic Cities in Development

— 1 —
INTRODUCTION 5 - 13
Culture and Development – a problematic alliance 6
Cultural Heritage – from the Hague to Habitat 9
A Future for The Past 11

URBANIZATION – “CONTEMPORIZED” HERITAGE 15 - 21

Bethlehem 18

HERITAGE AS A TOOL FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATON 23 - 29

Quseir 26
Bagamoyo 28

SUSTAINABLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT: A HOLISTIC APPROACH 31 - 37

Zanzibar 34

HERITAGE AND CONFLICT 39 - 47

Hebron 42
Sarajevo 46
—2—

The case studies presented in this booklet were all presented at the Historic Cities in Development
conference in Stockholm 13 – 14 May 2003, arranged by Sida’s Urban Development Division.
Additional material was prepared by the editorial team.

Consultants: Thomas Melin & Minna Örnéus

Urban Development Division, Sida

Editors
Main editor: Oscar Hemer
Writer and senior lecturer at School of Arts and Communication, Malmö University
Co-editor: Kristoffer Gansing
Creative producer and assistant teacher at School of Arts and Communication, Malmö University

Graphic design: Fredrik Svensson

Supervisual Nordic - www.supervisual.se
FOREWORD

In many developing countries the old historic towns and villages and papers have been the editors’ main source of inspiration,
bear evidence of a rich cultural heritage. The dynamics of rapid and all the quotes are from the two-day conference. It is rather
urbanization, shifting economic activities, rising cost of urban a continuation of the discussions and intends to be a bridge to
land and changed political focus are however putting pressure other conferences and seminars – like the World Urban Forum
on many of the old historic towns. The social and economic in Barcelona, 2004 – where Cultural Heritage will be one of the
characteristics of the towns are undergoing dramatic change themes to be discussed.
while the physical character often remains unaltered. Infrastruc-
ture and the built environment deteriorate due to present socio- Pelle Persson, head of Sida’s Urban Development Division
economic problems.

— 3 —
Sida has since the late 1980’s supported projects on preserva-
tion of cultural heritage. The conservation projects focus on
integrated conservation and development, rather than restora-
tion of single buildings. The objectives are not only to enhance
the cultural and historical heritage but also to promote the local
economy, the social and democratic aspects of development
and good governance.

HISTORIC CITIES IN DEVELOPMENT was the theme of an in-

ternational conference in Stockholm 13 – 14 May 2003, set up to
be a forum where common interests and challenges of historic
towns could be discussed. This booklet, produced in coopera-
tion with School of Arts and Communication (K3) at Malmö Uni-
versity, is one of the outcomes of the conference. It is not a doc-
umentation of the sessions -- although the presented projects
—4—
 CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

What’s the use of Cultural Heritage? Why bother about old are therefore also becoming a crucial part of Malmö University´s
buildings and monuments when people are starving and dying study programme in Communication for Development.
of AIDS? Have heritage issues anything at all to do with interna-
tional development cooperation? This booklet aims at illustrating the richness and complexity of
the field and giving some examples on Sida supported projects.
These are common objections, not least in the developing But most of all it wishes to inspire you to see the potential of
countries where heritage preservation, like environmental cultural heritage for social change.
protection, sometimes is regarded as mainly a concern of the
economically developed world, which has already been through Oscar Hemer, editor
the processes of polluting industrialization and modernization.

— 5 —
Instead of being proud of their cultural heritage, people in de-
veloping countries tend to be disinterested or even ashamed of
it. Old derelict buildings and environments are associated with
backwardness and poverty and seen as obstacles to the desired
modern development.

But Cultural Heritage is more than old monuments. And even

if the preservation and restoration of unique historic environ-
ments should be justified on its own merits, as a universal value
in itself, it may actually also play an important and integral part
in promoting sustainable social and economic development.

Heritage is an emerging field of research and, in the light of cul-

tural globalization, an increasingly important part of bilateral and
multilateral development cooperation policies. Heritage issues
—6—
 CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT – A PROBLEMATIC ALLIANCE

When Development became a fashion word after World War II tion and Culture were suddenly in focus. In 1995 The World
it was almost equivalent to Modernization. The social engineers Commission on Culture and Development presented its report
of Modernity regarded Culture, at best, as a colourful yet insig- Our Creative Diversity, introducing the notion of ‘cultural free-
nificant vestige of the past, which would eventually fade away, dom’ as ”the right of a group of people to follow a way of life of
like religion. At worst, and not without reason, cultural tradition its choice”. The World Commission was followed by a UNESCO
was seen as a major obstacle to social and economic develop- World Summit, in Stockholm 1998, which adopted an Action
ment. Plan on Cultural Policies for Development. The Commission Re-
port and the Action Plan were the basis of the UNESCO declara-
The ruling Modernization paradigm in Development theory was tion on Cultural Diversity, adopted by the General Assembly in
challenged in the 1970´s by the so called Dependency school, 2001, and intended to be a supplement to the more well-known

— 7 —
a group of mainly Latin American economists and sociologists Agenda 21
with a Marxist background, who suggested that development
and underdevelopment were actually the two sides of the same The most important feature of the last decade is no doubt Glo-
coin. The poor countries were doomed to remain dependent, balization. Whether we regard it as a qualitatively new pheno-
and thus underdeveloped, in the Capitalist World economy. menon or just the culmination of a process going at least some
Cultural differences, which could have explained why a group of 150 years back, Globalization raises important new challenges,
East Asian economies in the coming decades were to apparent- not least with regard to culture and cultural heritage.
ly contradict the dependency theory, were still not considered to
be of any major significance. As a reaction to Globalization, but also as part of the very pro-
cess, culture has often become synonymous with ‘identity’ – be
But in the ‘90´s – proclaimed by the UN as the Decade of Culture it national, religious or ethnic − and cultural policies have taken
– the opposing views of Modernization and Dependency gave the form of sometimes militant identity politics. The ‘right to
way to a third, synthetic Multiplicity paradigm, stressing the culture’ has thus tended to create an antagonism between (in-
importance of linking development to local traditions. Participa- dividual human) rights and culture, understood as a bounded
tion and Empowerment became key words, and Communica- group identity. Cultural freedom as opposed to individual free-
 dom seems to reflect a classical opposition between relativism
and universalism.

We should be cautious with the all-encompassing culture con-

cept. Some would even go so far as to suggest that we abandon
it. Anthropologist Thomas Hylland Eriksen says, in his construc-
tive critique of Our Creative Diversity, that

There is no need for a concept of culture in order to respect local condi-

tions in development work: it is sufficient to be sensitive to the fact that

local realities are always locally constructed, whether one works in inner-

city Chicago or in the Kenyan countryside. One cannot meaningfully rank

one locality as more authentic than another. What is at stake in develop-

—8—

ment work is not cultural authenticity or purity, but people’s ability to gain

control over their own lives. (http://folk.uio.no/geirthe/UNESCO.html)

Yet insistence on respect for local circumstances remains fun-

damental, and the support of local arts and the preservation of
historical buildings are becoming increasingly crucial features
of international development cooperation. Whether we like the
term ‘cultural heritage’ or not, it represents a new multidisci-
plinary approach to conservation of historical areas and their
environment.
 CULTURAL HERITAGE – FROM THE HAGUE TO HABITAT

The concept of Cultural Heritage as a universal common good cultural heritage. The Declaration introduced the concept inte-
dates back to the 19th century and was originally formulated with grated conservation, concluding that protection of the cultural
respect to the laws of warfare. In the Nuremberg Trial after the environment must be an integral part of urban and social plan-
Second World War the violation of cultural property was one of ning.
the alleged crimes against humanity – as it is also in the present
Hague tribunal on the war in former Yugoslavia. The Hague This conclusion was implemented on a global scale in the
Convention from 1954, on the protection of cultural property Action Plan on Cultural Policies for Development, adopted at the
in the case of armed conflict, opens with the following often UNESCO world summit in Stockholm 1998, which emphasizes
quoted motivations, which have later been incorporated into the the vital place of the cultural heritage in the environment and as
Geneva Convention and many other international documents: an important factor for sustainable development.

— 9 —
Being convinced that damage to cultural property belonging to any peo- The economic and social importance of Cultural Heritage was
ple whatsoever means damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind, even more explicitly elaborated in the Habitat Agenda, adopted
since each people makes its contribution to the culture of the world; at the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul in 1996.
Considering that the preservation of the cultural heritage is of great www.unchs.org/unchs/english/hagenda/haghome.htm
importance for all peoples of the world and that it is important that this

heritage should receive international protection. The Habitat Agenda, and the accompanying Istanbul Declara-
tion on Human Settlements, intended to provide a practical
The Post-War era in Europe was characterized by rapid and roadmap to an urbanizing world, setting out approaches and
radical modernization, often to the detriment of older buildings strategies towards the achievement of sustainable development
– especially in historic city centres. This destruction provoked of the world’s urban areas.
protests and led to several initiatives by the European Council, Development must integrate conservation and rehabilitation
which eventually resulted in the so called Amsterdam Declara- goals, it is clearly and repeatedly stated, and “governments at
tion – or The European Charter of The Architectural Heritage the appropriate levels, including local authorities” should do so
– stating the common European responsibility to preserve the by, among other means, promoting “community-based action
 for the conservation, rehabilitation, regeneration and mainte-
nance of neighbourhoods” (Habitat Agenda, Section IV C-8).
Preservation of Cultural Heritage is also an integral part of the
Millennium Development Goals, which stipulate that all coun-
tries should have a national programme for sustainable envi-
ronment, including cultural environment.
— 10 —
 A FUTURE FOR THE PAST

During the second part of the 1970s I had the opportunity to course very impressed by the unique qualities of the traditional
work as an architect with projects in North Yemen. The capi- Yemeni architecture, not only in Sanaa. As a matter of fact there
tal city, Sanaa is a very old town and with a remarkable urban are at least four distinct architectural traditions in Yemen based
architecture. Buildings are tall, often five storeys and made of on local conditions and materials.
dark burnt clay bricks with fantastic white gypsum decorations. We decided to use traditional materials and craftsmanship and
Wood is scarce and the windows are generally made of gypsum create modern schools with elements of the traditional architec-
in sophisticated patterns with rather small pieces of glass in ture developed for new purposes. We even sought advise from
between. There were also old buildings with alabaster panes the famous Hassan Fathy in Egypt.
instead of window glass. But when we proudly presented our sketches for the project co-
Old Sanaa at that time still had much of its city wall left and ordinator, who was an Egyptian architect recruited by the World

— 11 —
the space outside the wall was partly still open. A river passed Bank, he immediately rejected the design, because he found it
through the city. Most of the year the riverbed was dry and in old-fashioned and wanted modern architecture. We had to obey
fact used as a road. The heavy city wall passed this riverbed on and make a complete re-design. Fortunately we managed in the
beautiful arches. It was a mighty sight. end to convince our client to accept traditional materials and
But when I came back for one of the many visits towards the even some features of the traditional architecture.
end of 1970s, the arches had disappeared and the wall was bro- We also participated in a competition for a new housing area
ken. The reason was that the truck drivers had complained that just outside the old centre of Sanaa and we again made an ef-
the arches were too narrow and an obstacle for the traffic. This fort to design the new town in a way that could harmonise with
tragic story is an example of the frequent conflict between the the traditional architecture. What happened? Well, our love for
modern development and old structures, which often occupy the cultural heritage was not shared by the jury and the winning
valuable land or are physical obstacles for the cheapest and proposal was an ordinary modern suburban plan.
easiest solution to, say, a traffic problem.
This story, like the demolition of the wall on arches, show that
Our job as architects was to design a series of training institu- the mayor and the rest of the municipal leadership probably
tions for a World Bank financed education project. We were of were unaware of the values that were embedded in the authen-
 tic and medieval properties of old Sanaa. Is it not puzzling that are very poor neighbourhoods. Poverty leads to lack of main-
a people, which has built and maintained a unique urban archi- tenance and continued physical deterioration, but it also con-
tecture during perhaps more than 2000 years suddenly seems tributes to preserve the heritage. Lack of resources prevents
to lose the relationship to this tradition and appear to not even any major changes to the buildings. Sometimes it is possible
value it anymore? to rehabilitate such buildings with participation of the people
When we tried to adapt our design to the local tradition, we who live there and thus avoid or at least reduce the need for re-
believed that Yemeni people in general were proud of their re- location. Any action in such areas will have to deal with social
markable building tradition. It seems however that this was not issues. The links between urban poverty and urban heritage
the case, and that the qualities that we (architects from Sweden) should be emphasized.
could see were not very much esteemed by the local decision
makers. They rather saw the old as being inferior to the new Poverty and lack of development, is sadly to say, the best protec-
and modern. tion for the historic urban heritage also at a larger scale. This has
been demonstrated many times. Lack of development during the
— 12 —

Rapid urbanisation, economic development requiring modern Soviet occupation contributed to preserve the old city of Tallinn,
buildings and the fast growing number of private cars all repre- capital of Estonia. Other examples are Ilha de Mocambique,
sent very real threats for the survival of the old historic towns, Antigua Guatemala, and Swedish Visby. All of them were left
which often have become deteriorating districts embedded in beside the main course of development for a time and therefore
fast growing modern cities with endless peri-urban suburbs. never had - or needed - resources to transform and modernise
The challenge is not just to preserve a few buildings or even their towns.
whole neighbourhoods. The objective can rarely be restora- Hanoi is another example. 35 years of war effectively hampered
tion and conservation, which may be possible for isolated and development and Hanoi in the beginning of the 1980s was al-
unique monuments. In the case of urban heritage it is necessary most unchanged since the first decades of the 1900s.
to find sustainable solutions not only for the physical rehabilita-
tion of buildings and infrastructure and the maintenance of the But why should we preserve the cultural heritage and why
same. The city must live and the promotion of socio-economic should we support this in development co-operation? Will it
revitalisation within a financially sound and sustainable frame- contribute to the eradication of poverty? Will it improve gender
work is equally important. conditions, promote human rights and democracy or any of the
It is not unusual that valuable historical environments also other objectives for development co-operation?
My answer is: So what? Maybe it is something that is justified
on its own merits and not in relation to other objectives. To pre-
serve and maintain valuable buildings and urban environments
that are inherited from past generations should not need too
much argument! Especially when we realise that the heritage
never can be replaced if lost. It is therefore adequate to make
the analogy with bio-diversity. In both cases we must be careful
not to extinguish species which cannot be recreated once they
are gone.
We are all stakeholders in a development to safeguard a future
for the past.

Göran Tannerfeldt, senior adviser to Sida in urban development

— 13 —
— 14 —
 — 15 —
URBANIZATION
– “CONTEMPORIZED” HERITAGE
 “Heritage must be seen as an asset rather than hinder for development. Inner cities have been neglected but
they have a potential for economic development. They are strategically located at a crossroad between past
and future. They should not be treated as a museum but as a vibrant neighbourhood.”
Pelle Persson, head of Sida´s Urban Development Division
— 16 —

Old Bazaar, New Delhi, India. Photo by Linda Hilfling

 URBANIZATION – “CONTEMPORIZED” HERITAGE

The urban growth in the world amounts to a town of 100.000 of historical properties and the expulsion of vulnerable social
inhabitants a day. More than two thirds of the urban population groups, who are being forced out by extraneous commercial
live in developing countries. And two thirds of the population activities and new inhabitants with secondary residences.
increase in these countries is in urban areas.
But social exclusion – and gentrification – may also be the out-
Urbanization as such is not a problem. On the contrary, it brings come of restoration of the city centres. Cultural heritage pro-
considerable social and economic benefits. The problem is that grammes should therefore not be limited to the restoration of
the development of infrastructure and services in the towns and historic monuments; they must also include preservation of the
cities is not keeping pace with the rapid population growth. As urban environment of ordinary town-dwellers. The focus should
a result, living and environmental conditions are deteriorating be on the social history and development of urban settlements
and slums and shantytowns are mushrooming. and cities.

— 17 —
An alarmingly increasing part of the world’s urban population is
living in absolute poverty. The urban poor of the inner city slums are unable to revert the
trend of deterioration without assistance from the public and
Poverty alleviation is the prime goal of international develop- private sector. Any enhancement of the built environment must
ment cooperation, multilateral as well as bilateral. A sizeable be linked to the local community with a view to improving the
number of the urban poor live in derelict buildings in the central quality of life for its residents and the efficiency of commercial
parts of the cities and towns where they find affordable shelter. activities. The urban poor should be assisted in their quest for
The core of these cities often consists of an ensemble of historic shelter, employment and services.
buildings that form an important part of the national – and uni-
versal - cultural heritage.

The heritage of historic cities is threatened by poverty and neg-

ligence on the one hand and economic growth and moderni-
zation on the other. Rise in land values and pressure for high
density urban development, usually leads to the destruction
 BETHLEHEM
Bethlehem has an important cross-cultural status being a holy city to Christians, Muslims, and Jews alike. It is a site where Byzantine, Islam-
ic, Crusader, Turkish and British remains and monuments intermingle with European architecture and blend with the local Palestinian style
to form a unique and challenging heritage. However, the city faces the challenges of rapid urbanization and the need for sustainable city
planning, including the rehabilitation of old cores, the preservation of detoriating historical buildings and dealing with rising unemployment
rates. Following the 1995 transfer of Bethlehem from Israeli to Palestinian authority, the city has been the focus of a number of development
projects with the aim of creating a base for developing the Palestinian tourism industry.

The Bethlehem 2000 project was launched as a large-scale effort to develop various sectors and restore and strengthen the city’s rich
cultural heritage. As part of the Bethlehem 2000 project, Sida initiated the rehabilitation of the central and historically significant Manger
Square – which prior to its reopening in 1999, had been functioning as a bus and parking lot. The square functions as the main meeting place
for the citizens. Bethlehem Peace Centre is a cultural centre that was also constructed here at the heart of the city with the aim to promote
and enhance peace, democracy, religious tolerance and diversity.
— 18 —

Sida support
• Manger Square and the Bethlehem Peace
The rehabilitation of Manger Square was completed in February 1999 and the grand opening of the Bethlehem Peace Centre was
in December the same year.

Sida has financed the rehabilitation of Manger Square and the construction of Bethlehem Peace Centre as part of the Swedish
development cooperation in Palestine. The idea of the rehabilitation of Manger Square was developed by Sida and the municipality
of Bethlehem in 1996. The architect Snorre Lindquist designed the center.

Sida has also led the renovation of Bethlehem’s central market and two of its oldest streets that wind through the old parts of the town.
 — 19 —
“Issues of awareness are tricky as we have no indicators whether people are really getting more aware or not.
Another challenge is the participatory process. Sometimes you think people participate, but they do not. In most
cases cultural heritage is not a priority. It is seen as something that can wait.”
Donatius Kamamba, architect, director of Antiquities, Tanzania

Bethlehem. Photo by Tone Andersen

 “We need to reveal what´s hidden behind the criteria
The main goal of the work with public awareness and commu-
for inclusion on the world heritage list. Authenticity is
nity development in Bethlehem is to improve the life of people
and create social and economic development. an important quality, but it is not enough that the town is
It was a bit disappointing to find that people were not more well-maintained. The criteria for authenticity vary. They
ready to be involved. How do you engage people? It´s hard but
are deeply attributed to the cultural values.
necessary if we are going to achieve any success. One impor-
tant task was to make people appreciate the value of cultural
In Europe authenticity means that you have a building
heritage and have them think in terms of the neighbourhood as in situ, containing as much as possible of its original
a whole, not just the family. In a small neighbourhood we vis- fabric and building material and keeping its original
ited all houses, listening to people and hearing their complaints.
colouring and painting etc. In Japan the form and colour
In close partnership with the municipality we got them to be
more disciplined, putting out the garbage in the morning, taking make authenticity. A pagoda can be taken down and be
— 20 —

responsibility for plantation etc. Today they are very proud. re-erected somewhere else, with new paint. It is still
What we are trying to do as we go along is to link oral history
authentic.”
with awareness. When we go to people and listen to them, they
Birgitta Hoberg, senior international officer at the Swedish National
feel they are part of the process. But it´s important that we,
Heritage Board
parallel to conservation, have improvements in infrastructure −
water, sanitation, electricity etc. because improving their quality
of life touches them directly and it can measured quantitatively.

Christiane Nasser, Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation, Bethlehem

 — 21 —
“The code of ethics in restoration is to do as little as possible. Traditional materials and methods are
recommended! But it is often difficult to make use of local materials, and methods will have to be adapted to
the demands of today. Those craftsmen who have the skills should be encouraged to spread their knowledge by
working not only with heritage.”
Hans Sandström, architect, project manager for restoration workshops at Mälsåker Manor and in the Baltic countries

Marketplace, Bethlehem. Photo by Tone Andersen

— 22 —
 — 23 —
HERITAGE AS A TOOL
FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION
 — 24 —

“A sustainable heritage improvement uses traditional technique and local material. Working with the heritage
has a potential of stimulating the local economy. It doesn’t draw unnecessarily on limited resources. What is
good for the heritage is good for the environment at large.”
Bengt OH Johansson, adviser to Sida, president of Cultural Heritage without Borders

Restoration work, Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Photo by Linda Camara

 HERITAGE AS A TOOL FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Cities and towns function as ”motors” for economic develop- Tourism is perhaps the best illustration of the inherent con-
ment, also for the surrounding countryside. A city’s economic flict between preservation and renewal and the importance of
growth is vital to attract businesses and investments and thus striking a balance between the two. An excessive emphasis on
provides a comparative advantage within a country, a region preservation may result in stagnation, if it is not combined with
or indeed globally. Evidence from recent European experience a flexible attitude towards the re-use of existing structures. A
clearly indicates that the creative re-use of historic buildings sensible and sensitive ‘heritage tourism’ could ideally be seen
and structures in city centres is likely to be an important stimu- as the urban equivalent to ‘eco-tourism’.
lus for economic revitalization.

The planning and carrying out of renovations and the running

of construction sites is labour intensive. Moreover, developing

— 25 —
and maintaining historic towns and buildings calls for traditional
handicrafts and artisans. This encourages cottage industries,
and provides extra earning opportunities for the poorer mem-
bers of the community. Heritage preservation also creates jobs
for women in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Restored buildings and areas do not only attract businesses

but also gregarious activities, such as festivals, concerts, thea-
tres and exhibitions. Cultural tourism has become one of the
most important factors in economic development. It is mainly
based in cities and towns and can provide an additional income
source for residents and a stimulus to local production. But
cultural tourism – in particular international tourism – can also
lead to overexploitation and dilution of the values that initially
motivated it.
 QUSEIR
Quseir is a remaining historic city along the coast of the Red Sea. It has played an important role as a centre of trade during the Ptolemayan
times, and later, as the Egyptian harbour for the silk-trade defended by an important Fort that was built during the 18th century. Quseir has
during the last two centuries had a strategic role in the economic struggle for hegemony of the Red Sea between the French, English and
Germans. A few years ago Quseir and its hundreds of old buildings were in great need of renovation as its citizens seemed to be unaware
of their fascinating history or their potentially prosperous future. With the intervention of the foundation Carpe Vitam, the outlook on life has
changed dramatically from a traditional fishing port to a tourist destination.

Educational matters and the preservation of heritage have been essential issues in the development of the new Quseir. In this process, com-
munity building is of vital importance - sustainable development is achieved through creating opportunities for people to take charge of their
own lives and facilitate their local cultural heritage.
— 26 —

Sweden support
• Collegium Carpe Vitam
Carpe Vitam is a foundation that promotes social entrepreneurship, projects of cultural heritage and education. Carpe Vitam, in
partnership with UNESCO and several universities, is working with the Egyptian government and educational authorities on differ-
ent projects in and around Quseir:
• The Learning Development Centre
• Excavations
• Vocational School
• Quseir Hotel
• Quseir Women Development
• Sea Front Project
The idea is to combine old traditions with new ways of thinking.
The learning centre is the core for all activities in the town. The
centre also serves as a school for those who failed in exams.
People didn’t know about their own history before. A com-
munity archaeological project for the excavation of the old city
engaged people at all levels. Another example of involvement is
a children’s book about two children exploring the old parts of
town. Several other ideas have been developed, such as train-
ing in English and ICT, and the production of copies of findings
from the excavations. Making people proud of their own history
and culture is very important.
Compared to a couple of years ago you can notice the changes.

— 27 —
There are new stores and a restaurant. Local ownership and
involvement are key factors

Maria Johansson, economist working for Collegium Carpe Vitam and

Project Manager for the projects in Quseir, Egypt
 BAGAMOYO
The name of the Swahili town “Bagamoyo” in Tanzania translates into something like “lay down the burden of your heart” or “the place
where I leave my heart”. Its interpretation has double connotations – either as the relief of caravan porters reaching their destination or as
the last gasp of the slaves forced to leave their home country. The name recalls the time when Bagamoyo was bustling of activity, being one
of Eastern Africa’s main ports for the slave route.
When this era ended at the end of the 19th century, Bagamoyo’s importance declined, giving over to the new capital of Dar es Salaam. Today,
Bagamoyo is a small, but rapidly growing coastal town on the brim of the Indian Ocean with good connections to the capital and Zanzibar,
making it an increasingly attractive tourist resort. Another nickname for the city though, has been “Ghost Town”, indicative of the old stone
town’s city-scape characterized by run-down colonial buildings. With the inclusion of the slave route, the city is now a candidate for the
UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
— 28 —

Sida Support

• Bagamoyo International World Heritage Conference 2002

• Inventory of East African Slave and Ivory Trade Route 2003
• Participatory urban planning process
• Emergency repair of the old fort and other buildings
• Bagamoyo Collage of Art
• Infrastructure investment program

Sida is an active supporter of including Bagamoyo and the Trade Route in the World Heritage List. Support is also aiming at
involving the local people in the burgeoning tourist industry and at the development of participatory approaches to planning and
restoration projects in the town.
 not only be a tool for conservation, but also pave the way for
The decision to expand the scope from Bagamoyo town to the good governance and poverty reduction among the communi-
entire slave route was a result of the World Heritage Conference ties living along the route.
in 2002. At present we are at a preliminary step in this process.
It is called the central slave caravan route. It should not be seen Fred Lerise, senior lecturer at the University College of Lands and
as a tunnel but as a channel of several activities, moving from Architectural Studies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
mainland to coast and from Bagamoyo to the interior. Religion
– Christianity and Islam – were brought to the interior through
this route. And so was Ki-swahili, the most commonly spoken
language in sub-Saharan Africa today. If the route played a role
in unifying several countries, it has a value not only to Tanzania.

At the moment we confine our investigation to the Tanzanian

— 29 —
side, but there are possibilities for trans-boundary conservation
discussions with neighbouring countries. In Tanzania there are
several important nodes along the route that we would like to
investigate. In some places there are already some conservation
activities going on.
We see various institutions working together. Working in an
integrated manner leads to sustainable results. It is also an
opportunity to become more transparent when private sector,
government and NGO´s come together. By further investiga-
tions along the route we will be able to export this decentralized
cooperation effort to six adminitrative regions and more than
ten districts which accommodate the route. The project should
— 30 —
 — 31 —
SUSTAINABLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT:
A HOLISTIC APPROACH
— 32 —

Restoration work, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Photo by Karl Wennström

 SUSTAINABLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT: A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Environment is often synonymous with the natural environ- Safeguarding the cultural heritage in an urban environment
ment. But our environment is to a large extent created by hu- requires a holistic view, dealing with the urban structure as a
mans, in the process of civilization, and thus also part of our whole and the overall characteristics of the built environment.
cultural heritage. It is this cultural environment which mostly Since preservation of the cultural environment is a process that
affects the living conditions in today’s globalized and urban- involves the community, protection must never be an obstacle
ized world. Environmental policies and programmes should to development. All citizens must be able to pursue their busi-
therefore be extended to include the cultural environment and nesses and have access to services and infrastructure. People
heritage. should be encouraged to live and work in historic buildings.

In the Rio declaration of 1992 the Heritage Sector is given the

role as the driving force towards a sustainable future. The strat- “Heritage valuables are not necessarily tangible.

— 33 —
egy for a sustainable development rests on three dimensions: Smells, colours etc. are also part of the heritage. Chil-
ecological, socio-cultural and economic. Accordingly, heritage
in a wider sense is the starting-point for all planning and deve-
dren of today in Stone Town live within their physical
lopment in a sustainable society, and cultural heritage should environment, they are part of the heritage. The minaret
thus also be seen as an integral part of physical planning. is only valuable with the intangible asset of the voice
calling for prayer. Courtyards are places where people
Sustainability can basically be described as using the existing
resources − material, economic, human, cultural − in the best meet. If you don’t allow people to interact the building
way. A sustainable development is a development that meets will lose its value.”
the needs of the future without compromising the ability of Mwalim A Mwalim, architect and Director General of the Stone Town
future generations to meet their own needs. The socio-cultural Conservation and Development Authority in Zanzibar
dimension of sustainability has the potential to contribute to
social inclusion, social cohesion and democratic citizenship; to
enhance quality of life and support sustainable regeneration.
 ZANZIBAR
The Zanzibar Stone Town located on Zanzibar Island off the Tanzanian coast was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2000. It is the
largest and densest of the East African Stone Towns, consisting of around 1700 buildings with a population of 16 000. The Stone Town is
an architectural melting pot with features from Africa, Asia and Europe as well as the Arab countries. Today the inhabitants of this part of
the city, which was in principle built between 1830 and 1930, have many problems to cope with: houses are over - populated, buildings are
collapsing and the infrastructure is in poor condition.

Once an important harbor and central point along the east African slave route, the Stone Town today faces the challenge of poor cultural
heritage management. With Sida’s support, part of the town is being renovated. At the same time the inhabitants are being informed about
their cultural heritage and how it can be preserved. Through the project beautiful old buildings are being renovated and local craftsmen are
being given both employment and training in restoration techniques.
— 34 —

Sida Support
• Community Based Rehabilitation in Zanzibar Stone Town
Sida is implementing a programme for the renovation of the old Stone Town in cooperation with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture
(AKTC), a non-profit making organisation which promotes the preservation of historical buildings of significance for local culture.

In order to raise the people’s awareness of their own cultural heritage, and even of their responsibilities, a number of projects have
been implemented, including a TV series which illustrates the problems from different aspects and shows possibilities to make
improvements.

• Institutional Capacity and Programme Support

With the STCDA – Stonetown Conservation and Development Authority, Sida is aiming at key activities to promote and sustain
Stone Town as a World Heritage Site. This involves the preservation of the Stone Town as an urban human settlement, addressing
HIV/AIDS problems, gender issues and youth oriented projects.
 At present the system of public housing administration is not
The seafront of Zanzibar has an iconic status. But it’s a very working very well. There is a short-sight policy, erratic rent
different city behind the seafront. The Stone Town is a small collection and hardly any investment at all. The situation is
part of the larger city. Many of the people who live there are entirely unsustainable. There is no future planning and because
poor. Large parts are in extremely bad condition. so little money is collected in rents there is hardly any money
Community based rehabilitation means involving the commu- to invest. The government says keeping rents low is part of
nity in the effort to preserve cultural heritage and understand- poverty reduction. But the buildings are collapsing. Stone
ing the causes of degradation. The city should not be seen as Town conservation authority is doing a good job in preventing
a collection of artefacts but as a living environment. In many collapses. Yet collapses occur.
cases the focus has been on physical aspects of conservation, Our intention is to implant a culture of investment and main-
due to the fact that most of these projects are designed by archi- tenance. One example is a building where rehabilitation was
tects. People struggling for their living will not be concerned completed in 2000. It is the home to 80 people, with 20 rooms
about plaster on buildings. Poor, disadvantaged people do not in total. There were two toilets. One was used by one privileged

— 35 —
have the basic components of a dignified life. Zanzibar is not family, the rest had to share the other one. Most tenants had
different from other third world cities, with one exception: it is a only a three months contract. With no security they had no
World Heritage. The question is how to guarantee shelter while incentive to invest their own time and money in maintenance.
at the same time preserving the city. They expected the landlord to maintain the building, but the
Many of the buildings in Stone Town are publicly administered landlord argued that since no rent was collected the tenants
and densely inhabited by disadvantaged people. It’s a challenge should repair themselves. The result was serious degradation.
to provide shelter under these circumstances. In Europe you get We developed a simple formula. The tenants agreed to pay their
round the problem with added value through investment offset back rent and we negotiated a ten years contract for them, which
in rising real estate value. Gentrification is in fact the reason gave them incentives for investing in the care-taking. Part of the
why many old towns are being preserved. The problem in Zan- rent went to improvements. We helped to set up a committee of
zibar is that there is no middle class who can move in. Besides, tenants to negotiate with the owners and Aga Khan invested in
that’s not really what we want. Rehabilitation is often accompa- urgent repairs. Today the building has eight toilets. All families
nied by demographic changes, as the poor can no longer afford have cooking areas and the roof no longer leaks.
to stay and have to move out. And that is not what we want in The lives of some disadvantaged people have been improved
Zanzibar. and at the same time we managed to save a small part of Zan-
 zibar heritage. But the sustainability problem is critical. I can’t
make any guarantee that the system we put in place will help to
save the building five years down the line.
One can’t look at monuments in isolation in a historic city like
Zanzibar. A holistic approach is necessary and the only way is
to involve the community as a whole. Nobody will ever come
along with the millions required to preserve the whole city. If ci-
ties are going to survive conservation has to stop being an idea
imported from outside. I try to avoid using the word conserva-
tion. It is irrelevant to the people. The houses are their homes.

Stephen Battle, site architect for Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Zanzibar Stone
Town Projects.
— 36 —

“There should be a cultural diversity parallel to biologi-

cal diversity. Diversifying culture is as important to evo-
lution of mankind as diversifying biology. Sida should
not only reformulate its heritage policy but also inte-
grate historic environment in its environment policy.”
Bengt OH Johansson, president of Cultural Heritage without Borders

Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Photo by Linda Camara

“Successful heritage projects do also have positive catalytical effects on other projects, even HIV/AIDS
projects. Linking intangible and tangible values is not an exotic question. We can find heritage aspects in all
qualities of life. Sustainable development is not a goal in itself, it is a quality. In our work we should not be
afraid to use figures and others indicators. Our area is not more ‘soft’ than others. Heritage preservation pays,
but it might take time to find out how long it will take before it pays.”
Katri Lisitzin, architect and urban planner, Swedish Agricultural University, SLU

— 37 —
— 38 —
 — 39 —
HERITAGE AND CONFLICT
 — 40 —

“Part of the process during the war has been to get rid of the culture of the enemy. But if you would leave a
mosque without the minaret, when peace is restored, it would stand there for all future as an accusing reminder.
Rehabilitation and restoration are therefore in the interest of both conflicting parties.”
Tina Wik, Cultural Heritage Without Borders in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Jerusalem. Photo by Tone Andersen

 HERITAGE AND CONFLICT

It is worthwhile remembering that the very concept of ´cultural strife and the suppression of minorities’ rights, making culture
heritage’ was formulated in the face of war and the violation of a deadly divider between people. Yet, respect for the cultural
cultural values. The cultural heritage of the other has always heritage is also a fundamental element in conflict resolution
been a target for military conquest and retaliation in war and, and peace-building. Tangible heritage in the form of historic
albeit more subtly, political oppression in peace. Reversely, cul- buildings bears witness to the past and should be preserved
tural heritage can also serve the purpose of aggressive identity in order to facilitate a historic narrative devoid of mythification
politics, targeting other nations or ethnic or religious groups. and demonization.
Historic sites and symbols have in the last decades increasingly
been used as territorial position marks. Archeology and history Intangible values are more difficult to restore. Ethnically
are often regarded as means to consolidate national mythology cleansed Bosnia-Herzegovina may be completely rebuilt after
the war, but it will stay an entirely different country as long as

— 41 —
The symbolic use – and abuse – of heritage in national identity the ethnic divisions remain. The former urban cosmopolitanism
building may be seen as harmless and even sometimes desir- of Sarajevo may take decades to recreate.
able, as it may foster unification and social and political devel-
opment in young nation states. But it may as well be excluding, But heritage can also be a useful factor when it comes to im-
especially when cultural symbols are deliberately used to ce- proving awareness and public participation in the democratic
ment the legitimacy of dominant groups and powers. process. Knowledge about our universal cultural heritage –
The former European colonies in Africa and Asia are often rich including the heritage of ‘the others’ – is an important means of
in monuments from the colonial era, of indisputable historic in- forwarding communication and mutual understanding among
terest and on the sanctuary list of World Culture Heritage. The people.
preservation of this heritage may however be offensive in the
eyes of the indigenous population and regarded as an extension
of the colonial legacy.

Peace is of course the prime prerequisite for sustainable deve-

lopment. Peace tends to be undermined by ethnic and religious
 HEBRON
Caught up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Hebron Old Town needs a sensitive restoring on several levels in order to pave way for a
sustainable future. The city is located along the pilgrimage route to Mecca and as the city of the Patriarch Abraham it is a holy site for Islam,
Judaism and Christianity. The 18th century buildings of Hebron’s old town once hosted a population of 10 000 but after the 1967 occupation
by the Israelis – 85 percent of the buildings were abandoned and left unattended to. Today there’s a need to revitalize this part of the city
through the active involvement of the local population. Since 1995, the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee, a group made up of local officials,
residents and other interested parties have started to upgrade the area through restoration work, strengthening of the local economy and
community building. The reconstruction work of the Old Town was made more feasible in 1997 when Israel turned over 80 percent of the
administration of Hebron to the Palestinian Authority. Even though these projects face many hardships in the situation of continuing conflict
situation, the restored shops and reoccupied houses of the once abandoned Old Town are now beginning to bustle with activity again.
— 42 —

Sida Support
Sida is co-operating with the following organisations for the restoration of the Hebron Old Town and preservation of cultural and
architectural heritage in Palestine:
• Hebron Rehabilitation Committee
The “Revitalization of Hebron Old Town” project 1999-2002.
• Riwaq – Centre for Architectural Conservation

The Sida funded “Job Creation through Restoration Projects” program was launched in 2002, involving, among other projects, a
Museum for the History of Ramallah and a Children Centre in the village of Deir Istiyya.
 order to construct a promenade. We have appealed to the Is-
Hebr o n is one of the oldest historic cities in the world. The Ab- raeli Supreme Court not to demolish houses. Despite this some
raham mosque, over the tomb of Abraham, is the oldest living houses have been demolished, in response to the ambushing of
monument in Palestine. In 1967 the town was occupied by the some Israeli soldiers. But we will continue no matter how many
Israeli army and settlers were put inside the city. According to obstacles are put in front of us.
the Oslo agreement the city should be divided and the mosque
remain in the Israeli area. Khalid Qwasmi, civil engineer and director of Hebron Rehabilitation
Committee
The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee was established in 1996.
It was difficult at first to convince people that cement was not
the material to use for restoration. We did modifications on the
houses in order to make them more adapted to nuclear families,
with full privacy and facilities. We also restored shops and some

— 43 —
of them managed to increase their business after the renovation.

It is also a political dilemma. We have to be sure that people will

use the houses. During the first four years the number of people
living in the area where we worked increased from 400 to more
than 2500. The main problem was the Israeli army which want-
ed to get us out. During restoration we were prevented to work
in some areas and 400 workers were arrested by the Israelis.

Last year 100 families left the area that surrounds the Isreaeli
settlements. The Israelis went to demolish several houses in

Old Town, Hebron. Photo by Tone Andersen

 Palestine is an example of how development has worked
against heritage. Half of all buildings have been built during
the last six years. As the Palestinian authority only has control
over eight percent of the West Bank all village centres are under
tremendous pressure. The private sector moves fast ahead. Af-
ter having been deprived of building for 35 years people move
along far ahead of laws and regulations. The impact of destruc-
tion is large.

Raising people’s interest is often the most difficult part. Most

of us working with the heritage come from an academic back-
ground while those living in the areas we wish to protect often
— 44 —

are poor. Intangible values are not enough to convince peo-

ple. They must see that they really benefit. Conservation and
awareness building must therefore be integrated into housing
schemes, art centres, unemployment programmes etc. When
improvements take place, people start to feel the value of the
area. Real changes happen when people living in the area feel
that they are important.

Suad Amiry, architect and director of Riwaq – Centre for Archicectural

Conservation, located in Ramallah, Palestine

Hebron. Photo by Tone Andersen

 — 45 —
“During the occupation the situation was extremely
difficult, but cultural heritage was unintentionally
protected as people did not have money.”
Suad Amiry, Riwaq
 SARAJEVO

Sida Support
• Cultural Heritage Without Borders
A Swedish NGO specialised in restoring historical buildings. Sida is supporting their restoration project for the National Museum
Zemaljski Muzej in Sarajevo as well as their other projects in Bosnia-Hercegovina and across the Balkan region.

• Sida is also supporting a co-operation programme between the Colleges of Music in Stockholm and Sarajevo as well as a
programme between the Gothenburg Film Festival and the one in Sarajevo.
— 46 —
— 47 —
 PARTICIPANT INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS

AB Stadsholmens kulturhusråd Lund Institute of Technology, Swedish National Heritage Board (www.raa.se)
Division of Architecture and Development Studies
Aga Khan Cultural Service (www.ark3.lth.se) Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala
(www.akdn.org/agency/aktc_hcsp.html) Department of Architectural Conservation and Restoration (www.slu.se)
(www.byggark.lth.se)
Antiquities Department, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Housing Development & Management (www.hdm.lth.se) The Swedish Association for Building Preservation
(www.byggnadsvard.se)
Arkitekten (www.arkitekt.se) Maweni Farm (www.maneno.net/pages/maweni_start.html)
University College of Lands and Architectural Studies,
Bagamoyo Lands Department Natural Resources Management Tanzania (www.uclas.ac.tz)

Bureau of Work and Urban Development, Amhara region Restaurator AB (www.restaurator.com) Uppsala University
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia Department of Archeology and Ancient History
Riga City Council (www.arkeologi.uu.se)
Centre for Cultural Heritage preservation / Bethlehem 2000
(www.bethlehem2000.org) Riwaq (www.riwaq.org) WSP International (www.wspgroup.se)
— 48 —

Central Government, Bagamoyo District Council Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (www.kth.se/eng) White Arkitekter AB (www.white.se)
Department of Infrastructure (www.infra.kth.se)
Chalmer´s Institute of Technology, Göteborg Zanzibar Municipal Council
School of Architecture (www.arch.chalmers.se) Sida (www.sida.se)

City Planning Administration, Stockholm Sipu International (www.sipu.se)

(www.sbk.stockholm.se)
Sponte Sua Konsult AB
Collegium Carpe Vitam (www.carpevitam.se)
SSPA Sweden (www.sspa.se)
Cultural Heritage Without Borders (www.chwb.org)
Stockholm City Museum (www.stadsmuseum.stockholm.se)
Embassy of Sweden, Tanzania (www.swedemb-dar.com)
Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority
Gotland Municipality (www.gotland.se) (www.akdn.org/aktc/hcsp_zanzibar.html)

Granting Arkitektur & Form Stockholm University (www.su.se)

Photographers
Hifab/Swedec International Sveriges Television ( www.svt.se) Tone Andersen, Hebron and Bethlehem (p. 19, 21, 40,43, 44-45)
Linda Camara, Bagamoyo. (p. 24, 29, 36-37)
HRC – Hebron Rehabilitation Committee (www.hebronrc.org) Sweco FFNS arkitekter (www.sweco.se) Kristoffer Gansing, Sarajevo (p. 46-47)
Linda Hilfling, New Delhi. (p. 16 and cover)
La Parc AB Swedish Institute (www.si.se) Karl Wennström, Zanzibar. (p. 32)