Speeches

Remarks by Ambassador Cesar B. Cabrera at
Ile de La Passe Exhibition Launching at Mahebourg Natural History Museum

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Honorable Mahendra Gowressoo, Minister of Arts and Culture;
Mr. Narayan Bhallah, Permanent Secretary, Minister of Arts and Culture;
Ms. Diana Bablee, Chairperson of the National Heritage Trust Fund;
Ms. Stephanie Anquetil, Chairperson of Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund;
Mr. Gorah Beebeejaun, Chairperson of the Mauritius Institute;
Distinguished guests,

It gives me great pleasure to join representatives of the Ministry of Arts & Culture and The National Heritage Fund, in the opening of this important new exhibit on Ile de la Passe. We are proud to be here as partners for this opening today. This is the culmination of the efforts of many over a long period. This opening is a reminder of the excellent state of U.S.-Mauritius relations, requiring as it did  coordination between several Mauritian organizations and the U.S. Embassy. The Ministry of Arts and Culture and The National Heritage Fund can take great pride in their achievements in preserving the Ile de la Passe heritage site which is an important part of Mauritian history. The project and this exhibition will educate not only today’s students, but future generations on the history of Mauritius.
 
This exhibit enjoys the prestige of being partially funded through the United States' Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. Since its establishment in 2001, this fund has given grants to over 200 projects around the world.
 
The fund was established by the U.S. Congress as a means for the American people to express their respect for other cultures. We seek to help countries in the process of preserving or restoring their cultural heritage. These grants are awarded through an extremely competitive process, and this is the second such project to be funded in Mauritius. In 2002, The National Archives received a grant of 10,400 US Dollars through the Ambassador’s Fund for the establishment of an oral history unit. We are proud of the partnership role we have been able to play in both of these projects.  A well-executed project, such as the one here at Ile de la Passe, says to the global museum and culture community that Mauritius possesses dedicated professionals conducting world-class work in preservation and conservation.
 
We hope that today’s opening marks not just the completion of a fine  project but also a renewal of interest in preserving Mauritius’ cultural heritage by the international community and, more importantly, by all Mauritius citizens.

Congratulations on completing this important project, and I hope that all Mauritians take the time to visit the Mahebourg museum to view and enjoy this wonderful exhibit.