Sunday, 04 November 2012 17:47
Written by Kitty J. Pope
The African Renaissance Monument in Senegal is a magnificent,
unprecedented world heritage site to behold. Taller than the Statue of
Liberty and the largest statue in Africa, the 160-foot bronze structure
has become a signature tourist site for Africa and a symbol for the
African Diaspora worldwide. The statue is the brainchild of the former
Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade, who will be honored for it as an
inaugural member of the Hall of Fame at the African Diaspora World
Tourism Awards ceremony in Atlanta on March 23rd, 2013.
Former President Wade says that the “Monument to the African
Renaissance" is meant to symbolize Africa’s potential, rebirth and
liberation from "centuries of ignorance, intolerance and racism.
Located just outside Senegal’s capital of Dakar on top of one of the twin hills known as Collines des Mamelles, the monument overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
was designed by Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby. The colossal
structure depicting the full-length statue of a woman, man, and a child
held on the man's raised left arm emerging from a volcanic mountaintop
was constructed by an overseas North Korean firm. The must-visit
monument contains cultural exhibitions, multimedia and conference rooms,
shops, a nearby theatre, and a floor at the very top that allows
visitors a bird’s eye view of the surrounding city and ocean.
The
African Renaissance Monument was unveiled in front of 19 African heads
of state and other international dignitaries in April 2010, Senegal’s 50th Anniversary of Independence from France.
No comments:
Post a Comment