Belize is intensifying its cultural preservation initiatives through active participation in a multinational Central American endeavor focused on Afro-descendant heritage. Following recent regional efforts to protect Indigenous languages, Belizean cultural representatives are now engaged in a specialized workshop designed to document and conserve intangible cultural assets.
Key institutions leading Belize’s involvement include the National Garifuna Council and the National Kriol Council, both sending delegates to receive training in international methodologies for inventorying oral traditions, community knowledge, and intergenerational wisdom that characterize Afro-descendant communities.
Rafael Mona, Central American Cultural & Education Coordination official, emphasized the multinational nature of the initiative, noting its specific focus on African descendant heritage across the region.
Wilford Felix, President of the National Kriol Council, highlighted the workshop’s significance: “This allows us to work closer with communities and preserve those age-old wisdoms that you can only get, in most cases, from your granny and your grandpa.” He explained that intangible heritage encompasses aspects passed between generations without artifacts, particularly oral traditions that require specialized documentation techniques.
Cultural leaders express strong commitment to maintaining these ancestral stories and traditions for future generations, recognizing the urgency of preserving cultural knowledge that exists primarily in oral form rather than written records. The initiative represents a growing recognition throughout Central America that cultural preservation requires both local engagement and international methodology.