Since 2018, the number of African sites on the World Heritage List has risen from 93 to 108. Today, UNESCO is supporting the remaining 11 non-represented African countries to prepare new nominations while mentoring the next generation of heritage professionals, as highlighted at the International Conference on Cultural Heritage in Africa that took place recently in Kenya.
“We need to make sure that World Heritage is truly benefiting Africa and African communities,” said Alyssa Barry, a young Senegalese architect, urbanist and World Heritage professional trained by UNESCO.
She was one of many heritage professionals gathered at the UNESCO International Conference on Cultural Heritage in Africa, which took place from 6 to 9 May 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. Bringing together 54 countries and global experts, this event aimed to redefine how heritage is understood and managed across the continent.
Communities at the heart of heritage preservation and promotion
This conference comes at an important time: since 2018, the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has committed to increasing the representation of African sites on the World Heritage List. As a result, the number of sites in the sub-Saharan region has risen from 93 to 108 in recent years.
This article was originally published by UNESCO
