As part of the search for ways and means to safeguard their wisdom, their experience and better participate in active life, Guinean seniors have formed into an association called University of the Third Age of Guinea(UNITRA-GUINEA).
Indeed, the Republic of Guinea is a coastal country located in the western part of Africa, it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and borders, from northwest to southwest, successively with Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Cote d'lvoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is characterized by its geographical, historical, socio-linguistic and cultural diversity. The Republic of Guinea has an area of 245 857 km2 and a population of 12 000000 distributed in the four major natural regions which are:
Lower Guinea, Middle Guinea (Fouta), Upper Guinea, and Guinee Forestiere.
As part of the program of activities of the International Association of Universities of the Third Age(AUITA), and on the occasion of its 105th Board of Trustees, planned in AUT Byblos (Lebanon), from October 10 to ,2019,UNITRAGUNEE makes the duty to present the theme entitled "The University of the Third Age and the culture in Guinea.
The populations of the four main natural regions of Guinea live in symbiosis despite the cultural variety that characterizes each of them. Culture is thus the totality of structures, social and artistic, religious and cultural manifestations that define a human society in relation to another.
It is in this perspective that the University of the Third Age of Guinea works for the development of social, cultural and tourism activities, likely to help seniors to contribute to the prevention of the bad effects of aging, isolation and exclusion.
UNITRA-GUINEA also plays an important role in establishing the balance between seniors and the rising generations.
Hence the objectives of UNITRA-GUINEE include: Education, Health, Development, The environment, And sustainable development.
It is therefore a question of implementing a sustainable action program that respects human dignity.
Thus, in accordance with its objectives and on the basis of the cultural and real estate heritage of our country, UNITRA-GUINEA has, in its action plan 2019-2020 made a comple census of the different historical sites of Basse Guinee to the Forest while passing by the Middle Guinea and Upper Guinea.
As examples, we can mention:
In Conakry:
The Dubot Hotel, the Fotoba Penitentiary, the Railway Station and the National Museum;
At the Fauta:
La Case a palabre and the Villa Jeanine a Dalaba;
The Rene Caille road(Dalaba);
La dame du Mali at Mont lour. (Mali);
Upper Guinea:
Gallieni Fort at Niagassoba (Siguiri) and the marre boole de Baro in Kouroussa;
The Gallieni fort at Niagassoba(Siguiri), the Sosoballa (13th century) of Soumahoro kante (Siguiri);
the Boole Marre de Baro in Kouroussa; Guinee Forestiere;
National and integrated reserves of Mount Nimba and the Ziama classifed forest in Macen;
In conclusion, the University of the Third Age of Guinea is currently investing in the search for ways and means for the preservation and protection of this rich Guinean heritage.
Author: Mr. El Hadj Falilou Ba
(selected from his speech on 105th AIUTA International Conference at Byblos)