Luanda – The programme of recognising, preserving and disseminating the deeds of national historic figures, promoted by the Ministry of Culture, has been deserving, along the years, a special attention from Angolan authorities in a action meant to retrieve national identity values.

 
For its implementation the Ministry of Culture has been holding a campaign aimed at studying and disseminating the role played by some historic figures that emerged during the process of forming the nation, in order to guarantee the preservation of historic and cultural heritage of the country, through the recovery of the historic memory and legacy of these entities.

 
With this programme, the Ministry of Culture intends to carry out in its institution works of research and data gathering about the lives and works of the figures that contributed to the preservation of the cultural and civic values, among others, by rebuilding the images of these people and diffusing their deeds through oral, written, archaeological and photographic sources.

 
This work has already enabled the drafting of a list of Angolan historic figures, which comprises politicians, scholars and clerics who belong to various socio-cultural areas of the Angola society.

 
With more emphasis to the construction of cultural infrastructures to pay homage to these figures, such as the building of monuments and historic sites, the programme that is being monitored by a commission created by the Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos, also comprises the teaching and education process, taking into account the transmission of knowledge to young students who are responsible for the future of this country.

As an example, the statue of the King of Bailundo, Ekuikui II (Huambo) and the Mbalundu Cultural Centre is being built. Studies on a series of sculptures are being elaborated at the Environment Square, in Luanda.

Created in November 2008, the commission, which is co-ordinated by the minister of Culture, Rosa Cruz e Silva, is made up of historians, anthropologists and architects that have been working with the chieftains and provincial culture departments for the collection of data.

 
The commission also comprises representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Public Works, Territory Administration, Education, Defence, Former Combatants and War Veterans, Social Communication (media), Environment and Urbanisation and Housing.