An architect by trade and with a Master Degree in History he won in his homeland, Dutch Herman van Hooff (Vught, 1952), has devoted most of his lifetime, energy and talent to the preservation of the basic values and ideals that support the existence of UNESCO.

With over 20 years of experience in international organizations under his belt, quite recently he was appointed at the helm of the Havana-based Regional Cultural Office. However, he’s been familiar with this city for more than 20 years because, as he admits, “my job in UNESCO has always been linked to Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Straightforward and honest, Mr. van Hooff is a foe of protocols and is one of those persons who loves the dynamic and practical sense of life, the outcomes of the daily going that he combines with profound thoughts in which culture is the name of the game.

“In 1986 I paid my first visit to Cuba. I came back a number of time during the 1990s. Since then I’ve been familiar with this island nation. I must say it’s a privilege to work here, especially for a man with a background like mine. That’s why I consider my being at the helm of this office a terrific opportunity and a challenge, too,” he says.

“This is the oldest affiliate UNESCO has outside its HQs in Paris. It was founded in 1950 as the Western Hemisphere Office and later it was renamed the Regional Cultural Office, back in 1972. Through all these years, this office has proven to have the ability of adapting itself to the new realities and conditions, both in the region and within the framework of the UN organizations,” he explains.

“However, there are new challenges out there to cope with. First of all, we’re charged with the promotion of cooperation among the region’s countries in terms of culture.

On the other hand, we carry out a number of tasks because in addition to being the regional office for cultural matters, we coordinate a set of actions within a cluster of four nations made up of Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Aruba.

Mr. van Hooff says coordination of cultural actions in Latin America and the Caribbean includes communications and information. For that purpose, the office relies on such tools as an Internet portal and the regional network of African-American religion research institutions. “Because UNESCO is, above all, a lab of ideas and from the Regional Office we have the responsibility of fostering new ideas and concepts that might render in concrete actions for the entire region.”

The idea of building this portal was thought up at the Conference of Latin American and Caribbean Ministers of Culture held some fifteen years ago. Today, the portal is the platform of excellence for dialogue between top cultural authorities from the region and UNESCO.

At the Regional Cultural Office in Havana, the staff also deals with rules and regulations related to the preservation of heritage and cultural values, like the World Heritage Convention –the best known of all. However, there are older institutions and as important as the former one, such as the Convention on Illegal Smuggling of Cultural Assets and the Convention on Cultural Diversity, coupled with such projects as the Endangered Tongues and Oral Traditions of the Amazon, and the Craftsmanship and Artistic Education councils.

Another initiative encouraged by the Havana Office is the Slave Route Project, unveiled a few years ago but currently undergoing a complete reshuffling. This project has had a major impact in those countries that were marked by slavery and its moral, historic and cultural implications, especially in Africa and the Americas.

As far as the world heritage is concerned –featuring over a hundred cultural and natural sites officially inscribed in Latin America and the Caribbean, eight of them in Cuba- the sites’ state of preservation is assessed on a regular basis with a view to implement actions aimed at improving their conditions and minimize the impact on them, especially as a result of tourism.

“That’s why I think,” Mr. van Hooff points out, “it’s important to talk about the relationship between culture and development, and talk about the local industries. Those are key issues of the Convention on Cultural Diversity.

“There’s no doubt there’s a tremendous potential to work on a number of specific projects in order to promote and develop the cultural industries. In Cuba, for instance, we’ve developed a project in Trinidad in coordination with the local authorities, to promote fabric embroideries. That’s a way of rescuing a cultural expression on the one hand, and creating jobs and generating revenues on the other. Those are ways of dignifying the people and offering a genuine product to those who visit that major heritage site.”

The outstanding UNESCO expert asserts when it comes to culture and tourism people need to bear in mind that “culture is a broader and deeper concept that goes beyond the monuments they see in the cities. We can’t ignore the importance of tourism for the region’s economic development, in particular for the Caribbean, but what we look to is responsible tourism, a travel industry that plays a role in mutual understanding, that fosters fruitful debate between visitors and locals, a kind of tourism that ought to respect cultural identities, the traditions of the people, their natural spaces and that plays a role in the social, economic and cultural development of the countries.

“We need to reconcile and work out those interests because we also know tourism may have a negative impact on the communities, or on monuments tourists visit. That’s why a kind of tourism that remains in sync with the good management of natural and cultural resources will certainly reap good benefits for all,” Mr. van Hooff comments.

“Even though cultural tourism is increasingly catching on, tourists need to be educated so that they visits could turn out to be as sane as possibly. This is a matter in which news media organizations have a tremendous role of their own to play, yet we can’t fail to mention the role of general education in the fostering of these ideas.

“That’s why we think heritage education must be included in teaching programs and curricula of all educational institutions at all levels. UNESCO has come up with a few interesting initiatives in this particular field. We have an education program on world heritage to target young people that consists of actions and teaching training in an effort to encourage heritage protection. By making youngsters aware of this situation we’re simply educating tomorrow’s tourists,” beams Mr. van Hooff.

This architect who advocates strongly for cultural diversity, coupled with both mankind’s tangible and intangible heritage, admits he’s simply dazzled with Cuba. “This country has a well-developed cultural policy, a wide vision that’s pretty much in sync with the missions UNESCO carries out.

“Culture is not just about promoting cultural expressions, religion and lifestyles, but also about teaching on the arts, architecture and monuments. I believe Cuba reflects all this through its cultural policy, contained in a lawful and institutional framework that makes it easy to react quickly to new concepts, ideas and international-level agreements. That explains the way this country has responded to the World Heritage Convention, to the Declaration of the Nonmaterial Heritage Masterpieces.”

“A few good cases in point as far as Masterpieces are concerned are the French Tomb of the Charity in eastern Cuba and the Holy Spirit Brotherhood of Congos de Villa Mella in the Dominican Republic, or the Cocolo Danzante Theater of San Pedro de Macoris, better known as The Goyulas.

The Chief of UNESCO’s Havana Office says Cuba is also famous worldwide for having some boldface names in the field of heritage conservation, like the late Dr. Marta Arjona and historian Eusebio Leal. In the field of nonmaterial heritage stands out the name of Dr. Miguel Barnet, Chairman of the Fernando Ortiz Foundation.

“These two people are well known worldwide for their technical skills and their work. Unfortunately, Dr. Arjona is no longer among us, yet I see in these two people a the symbols of a huge team of well-trained and savvy technicians and experts that works for the sake of Cuba’s culture. That, together with the government’s support to the UNESCO Office in Havana –through a permanent cooperation with Cuba’s National Commission and a number of counterparts doing their jobs locally and nationwide, makes it easy for us to work and live here in a very privileged situation. Make no mistakes about it; UNESCO has a place of honor in Cuba.”