MoU between 'SAF', 'UNESCO' and the Madanjeet Singh Institute for Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage

Conference Afghanistan - 22nd March 2004

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh, The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and The Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan concerning the Madanjeet Singh Institute for Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage.

The construction of the Madanjeet Singh Institute for Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage in Kabul set a precedent and the UNESCO Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura, has since agreed to provide consultancy assistance to other similar institutions of excellence that SAF intends to build in each of the other South Asian countries.

Considering the urgent need for capacity-building in the field of cultural heritage preservation in Afghanistan through training activities for Afghan specialists, in particular from the Ministry of Information and Culture as well as from the provincial authorities,

Considering the great interest of Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh in the safeguarding of Afghanistan's cultural heritage and his offer made to the Afghan Minister of Information and Culture, as well as to UNESCO, in June 2003 to provide one million US dollars for a training institution in the field of cultural heritage,

Considering the results of the discussions between Goodwill Ambassador Singh, His Majesty King Zaher Shah, President Hamid Karzai, the Ministers of Education, Higher Education, Foreign Affairs and Information and Culture, during his mission to Afghanistan in October 2003,

Considering that a building was identified in October 2003 in Kabul by the Afghan Government and Goodwill Ambassador Singh to house the Madanjeet Singh Institute for Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage,

Considering the desire of Goodwill Ambassador Singh to benefit from UNESCO expertise in the field of capacity-building in cultural heritage.

The parties agree as follows:

Article 1

As a first phase, Goodwill Ambassador Singh will at his earliest convenience transfer the necessary funds to the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture to restore, adapt, rehabilitate, furnish and equip the above-mentioned building, in order to enable it to be used as the Madanjeet Singh Institute for Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage. The first payment for this first phase will consist of US$ 100,000. For this purpose and as agreed between H. E. Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, Minister of Information and Culture; and Goodwill Ambassador Singh, an external current bank account under the name SAF-Afghanistan will be opened at the Afghanistan Bank, Kabul, to be operated by the Minister of Information and Culture.

Article 2

The second phase will consist in the establishment of a suitable training programme for Afghan specialists in cultural heritage conservation. UNESCO will cooperate through its Office in Kabul to provide necessary expertise when needed, subject to the conclusion of an appropriate agreement between UNESCO and the Afghan Government. UNESCO, jointly with the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, ICCROM, the Indian National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, NRLC, and other institutions specialized in this field, will provide its expertise in the following domains:

evaluation of equipment needs,
identification of manufacturers of the required equipment,
identification of a training curriculum adapted to the needs of Afgharistan in different fields, such as museology, the conservation of museum objects, museum management, mural painting conservation, architectural restoration and site management,
identification of suitable candidates,
identification of highly qualified teachers in the areas concerned.

Article 3

UNESCO, jointly with ICCROM, NRLC, and other institutions, will assist in the implementation of the training courses.

Article 4

Goodwill Ambassador Singh will transfer the necessary funds for the implementation of the second phase. The Minister of Information and Culture will be responsible for the implementation of the second phase in cooperation with UNESCO, ICCROM and the other institutions.

The Minister will provide them with the necessary funds from the amounts transferred to the SAF-Afghanistan account by Ambassador Madanjeet Singh for any expenses related to the above-mentioned activities.

Article 5

The Parties agree to meet at regular intervals for the purposes of mutual consultation in order to determine the activities to be undertaken within this framework and to share relevant information in this regard.

Article 6

UNESCO's collaboration with above-mentioned organizations and entities is subject to their consent and to the signing of an appropriate agreement between them and UNESCO.

Article 7

UNESCO's name and logo shall be used only with the prior written agreement of UNESCO.

Done in Paris, this 22 of March 2004, in three originals, in the English language.