UNESCO News and Highlights from Africa

When talking about UNESCO, the United Nations agency that promotes education, science, culture and communication worldwide. Also known as UNESCO, it coordinates international cooperation to protect heritage, boost learning and foster research.

One of its most visible programmes is the World Heritage Sites, places of outstanding cultural or natural value inscribed on a global list. The World Heritage label not only draws tourists but also triggers funding and expertise for conservation. A sister effort focuses on Intangible Cultural Heritage, traditions, languages and practices that communities consider essential to their identity. By cataloguing music, dance and oral histories, UNESCO helps African societies safeguard knowledge that might otherwise disappear. The agency’s education arm, often referred to simply as Education, global initiatives that promote inclusive, equitable learning from early childhood to higher education, runs programmes like the Associated Schools Network and the Global Citizenship Education framework. In the realm of research, Science, collaborative projects that address climate change, health and technology challenges brings together African universities, labs and policy makers under UNESCO’s International Centre for Science.

Why Africa Matters to UNESCO’s Mission

Across the continent, UNESCO’s work is tightly woven into everyday life. Recent additions to the World Heritage list include the rock‑art sites of the Drakensberg and the historic city of Kilwa, both of which illustrate how heritage fuels local economies and pride. Intangible heritage projects have revived endangered languages in Mozambique and safeguarded traditional weaving in Ethiopia, showing that culture is a living, evolving resource. Education initiatives such as the African Futures Project are rolling out digital classrooms in rural Kenya, while science partnerships are monitoring the Great Rift Valley’s volcanic activity to improve disaster preparedness. Universities are also hosting UNESCO Chairs that focus on topics like Sustainable Urban Development and African Literature, offering a platform for scholars to influence policy. All these strands demonstrate that UNESCO not only sets global standards but also adapts them to African realities, turning heritage and knowledge into tools for development.

The collection below pulls together stories that illustrate UNESCO’s impact on politics, culture, technology and sport across Africa. You’ll see how heritage sites become flashpoints in local debates, how education reforms echo UNESCO’s goals, and how scientific collaborations shape the continent’s future. Dive in to see the breadth of coverage and the concrete ways UNESCO’s agenda plays out on the ground.