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Heritage protection is most effective and rewarding as a collaborative pursuit. To help build connections between heritage advocates in Burkina Faso, �¼������ϲʿ��� and its partners organized a one-day workshop in the capital of Ouagadougou where attendees could discuss the past, present, and future of cultural and religious heritage protection in the country.

Textile production in Mali’s Dogon Country has deep roots, but the craft is under pressure from industrial manufacture and the disruption of knowledge transfer between generations. �¼������ϲʿ��� and Association Dogon Initiatives (ADI) hosted a heritage event to raise awareness about the shared history of textile production among the inhabitants of the Dogon region and to promote its revival through wider participation in its practice. At the event, attendees learned how to process cotton and spin thread while listening to the music of a local dance group.

Blacksmiths in Burkina Faso play an important role in their communities but are also feared due to their special knowledge and associations with witchcraft. Collaborative heritage education programs help to counter this stigma, as demonstrated by the three-day event that brought together local minority communities in the town of Bouria. Through �¼������ϲʿ���’s collaboration with its local partner in the region, attendees were able to learn more about each other’s traditions and counter misconceptions.

On April 11-13, �¼������ϲʿ��� CHI hosted a three-day symposium, Cultural Heritages Initiatives in Africa Today, which highlighted the work of local heritage professionals, academics, and civil society organizations to protect, preserve, and promote cultural heritage in North Africa and the Sahel. �¼������ϲʿ��� welcomes you to view the symposium recordings.