The United States supports Benin’s efforts to preserve and protect its important cultural heritage for future generations

Through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation program, the Embassy was proud to sponsor the Trois Soeurs Education Fund’s efforts to record and publish Benin’s rich tradition of storytelling and traditional folktales.

The project culminated on December 11th with the opening of a pop-up museum in Abomey-Calavi showcasing portraits of Benin’s storytellers and displaying works of art by children who listened to these stories at events across Benin. Their beautiful works brings to life stories like Undeelu and Zinzinklezin and reinforce the importance of our shared values of religious and cultural tolerance, respect for cultural diversity, and gender equality.

Deputy Chief of Mission Karen Gustafson de Andrade, who attended the opening on behalf of the American people, said “des histoires comme celles-ci poussent nos enfants à grandir et à apprendre, à rire et à penser par eux-mêmes. Elles créent des communautés et nous permettent de voir à travers les yeux des autres pour la première fois. Elles sont des manuels d’instruction pour explorer le monde, inculquant à chacun de nous ce qui deviendra notre boussole morale. En bref, les histoires constituent le fondement de nos cultures et reflètent les valeurs que nous espérons transmettre aux générations futures. Elles ne doivent pas être perdues.”

To read the stories mention above please visit: https://www.africanstorybook.org/