Musical Opening of the Intersessional Workshop on Cultural Rights and the Protection of Cultural Heritage with an Angolan 'Semba' song by Fontinhas, together with singer Paulo Flores.
Before the forty-fourth session of the United Nations' Human Rights Council, a two-day workshop in Geneva with the participation of experts from all regions of the world is being held online to develop appropriate tools for the protection, restoration and preservation of cultural heritage that promotes universal respect for cultural rights by all.
The protection of cultural heritage is provided for under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: the right to take part in cultural life, the right of members of minorities to enjoy their own culture and the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination and to maintain, control, protect and develop cultural heritage.
It highlights the obligation of States to respect and protect cultural heritage in all its forms, in times of war and peace, and natural disasters. Cultural heritage must indeed be preserved, developed, enriched and transmitted to future generations as a record of human experience and aspirations, in order to encourage creativity in all its diversity and to inspire a genuine dialogue between cultures.
I'm very proud and blessed to have been asked to perform the song ‘Monami’ by Fontinhas at this UN OHCHR event, together with singer Paulo Flores (born 1972) is a musician from Angola.
Paulo was born in Luanda and spent some of his childhood in Lisbon. His music is mostly written in Portuguese though some is in the Kimbundu language, and is often political dealing with the hardships of Angolan life, the war, and corruption. This particular Angolan style of music is known as Semba. Paulo Flores is also the peace ambassador of Luanda.