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Programmes, Projects and Activities
To achieve its objectives and aims, the Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society runs a number of activities, linked to both specific projects and over all programmes. The programmes are defined in line with the present focus and scope of work of the Society.
Programmes
Projects and Activities
Zanzibar Conservation Centre
The Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society has been given the mandate to host and develop the Zanzibar Conservation Centre.
The building, commonly known as the Old Customs House, and situated along the Forodhani seafront, Mizingani road, was in a poor state and in the mid-1990 UNESCO initiated a programme for its renovation. Funds were exhausted and the work left un-completed. In 1998 Aga Khan Cultural Services, Zanzibar, with funding from the Embassy of Sweden/Sida, Dar es Salaam, took up the work that was left and the building was to be inaugurated in 2001.
Ever since the initial renovation started the aim was that the magnificent three storey building should belong to the local community and become a resource centre for promoting knowledge and understanding of conservation and preservation suitable for the conditions of the built environment in Stone Town.
A special Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with the Zanzibar Government giving ZSTHS the right to rented out office space at the ground floor and second floor. The income generated from the lease agreements is to be used for the running and maintenance of the building.
The concept of the Conservation Centre is still under development, and more specific activities are yet to be arranged. At present the Centre offers some smaller conference facilities, an interesting space for local celebrations, like weddings and religious ceremonies. An exhibition on Lime Use and Wood Preservation has been hung on the ground floor from April to June 2006, and a presentation of a former community based rehabilitation programme can be seen on the first floor. A show room for restoration practises can also be visited on the first floor.
The majority of the space within the ZCC is rented by the Zanzibar Dhow Countries Music Academy.
Media Resource Centre
A media resource centre was established by funds from Embassy of Sweden/Sida and is now under the guidance of Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society. The centre is fully equipped with the latest technology for any kind of media production. The centre is supposed to operate on a commercial basis so as to cover costs for maintenance of its equipment and to facilitate educational productions for community use.
A group of young students have been trained on using the equipment. The Baraza Soap opera in 13 episodes has been the result of a professionally guided training programme under the Jicho Communicative Consultants. (See projects).
Partnership with the Swedish Association for Building Preservation (SBF)
The Swedish Association for Building Preservation (Svenska byggnadsvardsforeningen, SBF), was founded in 1975. The association arranges seminars, workshops, excursions, restoration camps, and produces a periodical. SBF has also been involved in different projects abroad, for instance in Estonia, Latvia, Montenegro and Benin in West Africa.
The partnership between the two organisations was proposed by the Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency (Sida) in 2003 and agreement was signed in mid-2005. The objectives of this partnership are:
A number of activities have been arranged by the two organisations and others are still to come:
Restoration Camps
Workshops
Exhibitions
'Get to know my Stone Town' – Zanzibar International Film Festival 2006
A photographic competition focusing on the local neighbourhood in Stone Town, for children (7 – 12 years) living in the neighbourhood of the Mchambawima area in Stone Town.
Exchange on council and board level
The Annual Report for 2005 is available for all ZSTHS members under the members section
Awareness creation
Baraza TV series
During the Community Based Rehabilitation Programme run by the Aga Khan Cultural Services, Zanzibar and funded by Embassy of Sweden/Sida, a video documentation was taking place leading to a series of documentary programmes reflecting the life in Stone Town for those living in the so called ‘Urban Villages’. The programme, known as the Baraza of Stone Town, became very popular and was shown both on Television Zanzibar and on other Tanzanian channels.
In connection to the development of the Media Resource Centre a training programme was launched and also the idea of taking the Baraza success even further, by developing a soap opera with the local setting of Zanzibar Stone Town. The students together with experienced media consultants of the Jicho Communicative invented a story with an intriguing mix of the reality of life; relations & conflicts – love & passion – tradition & modern thoughts etc.
After a trial of three programmes a proposal was granted by Embassy of Sweden/Sida for the production of an additional ten episodes. The ten latest episodes have been produced during 2006 and will first be aired at Television Zanzibar in late November 2006.
Exhibitions
The walls facing the court yard on the ground floor of the Zanzibar Conservation Centre serves as an excellent exhibition space. The educational material and photos gathered under the two workshops arranged in partnership with SBF was used for used for the exhibition. In total thirteen panels were hung around the court yard giving a brief introduction to the use and making of lime, and protection and preservation of wooden parts of the Stone Town buildings. The exhibition also had a samples to be touched showing for example how rotten wood can be replaced with skill full joinery.
Lectures / Public Talks
Student Awareness Programme
There are eight Government Secondary schools located in Stone Town. The total number of students enrolled in these schools is estimated to about 12,000 to 14,000. Most of the students are completely un-aware of the fact that they are spending their days in a world heritage environment.
The Ministry of Education has expressed their interest of incorporating a special focus on Stone Town as a world heritage site in the national curriculum. ZSTHS has been asked to assist in this development.
As shown in many development situations the younger generation is always more open to changes. It is therefore believed that a special programme for awareness among secondary students would be great importance.
The programme is under development and is planed to be implemented during 2007.More details and information will be launched as the plans unfold.
Community Outreach
Zanzibar International Film Festival
The Zanzibar Film Festival is a well-known annual event in Zanzibar. At the 2005 festival a street performance activity was introduced under the name ‘Transforming the City’. ZSTHS approached ZIFF for discussion on how to develop a co-operation for the 2006 festival and the ‘Transforming the City’ event. Preparations were made for community activities in two areas within Stone Town, but unfortunately did ZIFF not manage in their preparations and the programme was mainly performed at one open space, called Mchambawima, just in the vicinity of Zanzibar International Hotel. ZSTHS presented:
The little square was filled with people of all ages all evenings, and both presentations and performances were highly appreciated.
Children’s Photograpic Competition: ‘Get To Know My Stone Town’
Parallel with the Out-Reach programme a special event for children’s awareness was arranged. Children between 7-12 years of age were asked to participate. 12 groups with 4 children in each, were formed and each group given a disposable camera together with instructions of the competition. The children were given two days to document their neighbourhood and surroundings. The cameras were then collected and the films processed. Each group then received its pictures and were asked to select four pictures for the competition, also mentioning why they had chosen each picture. The elected pictures got enlarged and mounted onto the exhibition panels in the ZCC. All children were invited to a prize giving ceremony and three winning groups were awarded. Each child also got a certificate.
Networking
Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society has been given the possibility to participate both in regional and international meetings concerning world heritage and urban development.
International
Stone Town is a member of the Organisation for World Heritage Cities (OWHC) and participated in October 2005, in an International Meeting in Cusco, Peru.
UN Habitat arranges international forums every second year, the so called World Urban Forum, and ZSTHS has been present both in Barcelona, Spain in 2004 and in Vancouver, Canada in 2006. The participation at the World Urban Forums has been done in cooperation with the Swedish Association for Building Preservation.
Regional
Zanzibar Stone Town is a member of OWHC’s regional network for East Africa. The network is promoting co-operation among heritage sites in the region. ZSTHS has participated in meetings in Lamu, Kenya in 2004, and in Ilha de Mozambique, in February 2005.
Local
Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society is working closely with local partners such as:
ZSTHS is aiming at having an open dialogue with all partners, always making sure invitations to seminars, workshops and special meetings are extended to include these important stakeholders.
Studies and research
Stone Town Tree project
A four phase project on Stone Town trees has been funded by Embassy of Sweden/Sida. The first phase included a full inventory of trees within the Stone Town border. The report gives a full picture all larger trees within Stone Town. Some un-identified species have also been found.
Trees with a trunk wider than 1 meter in diameter have been marked with white paint to secure their value and importance to the town. Two unique trees have been protected by fencing arrangements and display boards mounted to give full information about the trees. The two trees are: An African teak tree (Mvule) along Creek road opposite Haile Selassie Secondary School, planted during the lay down of the first East African wireless cable in Zanzibar, 1880.
A Banyan tree (Mkuyu) along the Forodhani seafront, Mizingani road, planted by Sultan Seyyid Khalifa bin Haroub, on the occasion of the Bicentenary of the Al Busaid Dynasty on 20th November 1944.
The next phase of the project will include replanting of trees that have either died or been cut down. It is of importance that a lost tree is being replaced with one of the same sort. Seedlings will be raised and the local community will be involved and made aware of the importance of three in their neighbourhood.
The full report is available for all ZSTHS members under the members section.
Stone Town Open Spaces Identification
A first phase of a study identifying open spaces within the Stone Town borders has been accomplished. The next step will be to deeper specify the various open spaces and its background, use and need for protection and preservation.
Technical training and capacity building
Seminars
Workshops
Restoration Camp – Zanzibar
For the first time a restoration camp will be arranged in Zanzibar. The object for the camp is the women’s mosque inside the Forodhani Secondary School. The arrangements have been done in cooperation with SBF and the two week long workshop will begin on 6 November.
Participants are invited members of ZSTHS as well as members and organisers from SBF in Sweden. A total number of 30 people will be active in restoring the delicate little mosque and its surrounding walls.
During the camp special lectures on both historic and technical matters will be presented.
