At a time when Southern Africa is seeking inclusive, sustainable pathways to economic recovery and youth employment, the Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture: Promoting Culture and Heritage-based Sustainable Tourism in Southern Africa project steering committee formally launched the project’s implementation phase and set in motion a multi-country effort to translate heritage potential into tangible community benefits across six Southern African countries on 15 January, 2026.
More than a procedural milestone, the meeting established the governance, delivery, and partnership foundations needed to move from planning to action. It validated the project’s implementation roadmap, and institutional coordination mechanisms ensuring that site-level pilots, community programmes, and capacity-building initiatives can now begin rolling out in a structured and accountable way.
Representatives from the European Union, UNESCO, National Commissions for UNESCO from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe, alongside government officials, tourism and culture monuments site managers, technical experts and partners such as the Goethe-Institut reflected the depth of regional ownership underpinning the initiative. Their presence underscored a collective commitment to ensuring that culture and heritage-based tourism growth strengthens local identities, livelihoods, and long-term sustainability.
The project will be implemented across six heritage sites and cultural destinations: Tsodilo Hills World Heritage Site (Botswana), Matsanjeni North Inkhundla within the Lubombo Biosphere Reserve (Eswatini), Morija Cultural Precinct (Lesotho), Twyfelfontein World Heritage Site (Namibia), ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape (South Africa), and Matobo Hills World Heritage Site (Zimbabwe).
She noted that the project steering committee marked a transition from planning to delivery following an intensive and participatory inception phase, and thanked national institutions, site managers, technical experts, and communities for their contributions to shaping the project.
Culture and heritage play a strategic role in sustainable development by anchoring tourism and economic growth in locally owned assets that generate livelihoods while safeguarding identity and cultural landscapes. By placing communities at the center of decision-making, heritage-based approaches promote social inclusion, strengthen resilience, and support environmentally responsible practices rooted in traditional knowledge. At a regional level, culture provides a unifying platform for collaboration, enabling countries to share experiences, align governance approaches, and build equitable Africa–Europe partnerships grounded on mutual learning, shared values and long-term sustainability. From community guides at heritage sites to young creatives developing digital storytelling tools, the initiative aims to ensure that heritage conservation translates into visible, everyday benefits for local people.
Building on this shared vision, the project steering committee validated the project’s strategic recommendations, implementation plan (2025-2027), governance structures (PSC and Technical Implementation Committee), and communications and visibility strategy. These decisions lay a strong foundation for the years ahead, ensuring that actions respond directly to local realities while contributing to a coherent regional framework.
With this shared commitment, the project moves from planning to action. In the coming months, national-level activities, site-based pilots, and community engagement processes will roll out across participating countries. Guided by the belief that heritage, when centered on people, can open pathways to dignity, opportunity, and long-term resilience, the Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture project charts a hopeful and practical path toward a more inclusive tourism future for Southern Africa.
The Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture: Promoting Culture and Heritage-based Sustainable Tourism in Southern Africa project is being implemented by UNESCO with the support of the European Union.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/africa-europe-project-launches-new-era-culture-heritage-tourism-southern-africa
