Last week, Minister of Culture, Museums and National Heritage Sarah Nyanath Elijah Yong and Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Denay Jock Chagor traveled to Paris to present the submission to UNESCO, seeking recognition of the country’s wildlife migration.

On Tuesday, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Anany met with the two ministers at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

The meeting addressed South Sudan’s natural and cultural heritage and safeguarding efforts. During the meeting, the ministers formally submitted the nomination of the Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is set to consider the nomination in Busan, Republic of Korea, in July.

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Culture, Museums and National Heritage said a bilateral meeting was held with the UNESCO Secretariat at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris to strengthen cooperation on the protection and promotion of South Sudan’s cultural heritage.

The South Sudan delegation, led by Minister Sarah Nyanath, met with representatives of the UNESCO Secretariat under the 1970 and 2003 conventions.

The meeting opened with remarks on collaboration between the ministry and UNESCO in advancing South Sudan’s cultural agenda. Discussions covered areas of shared interest, including the ratification of pending cultural conventions.

Talks also addressed the 1970 Convention on prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property. Both sides called for action to address illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts, poaching, and the movement of heritage materials.

The delegation further discussed the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, with a focus on institutional capacity and training programmes to support implementation.

The meeting ended with both sides noting the outcome of the discussions. The UNESCO Secretariat restated its partnership with the ministry and support for South Sudan’s efforts to preserve and promote cultural and national heritage.