In <a href="https://absafricatv.com/what-women-in-liberal-politics-can-learn-from-germany-and-west-africa/” title=”What women in liberal politics can Learn from Germany and West Africa”>West Africa, traditions, oral expressions, social practices, music, rituals and know-how bear witness to the longstanding and profound ties that unite communities. These ties transcend national borders and remind us that the transmission of knowledge between peoples has shaped our societies for generations and nurtured a shared sense of belonging.
Dr Dimitri SangaDirector of the UNESCO Regional Office for West Africa.
On the occasion of the International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage, traditionally celebrated on 17 October, UNESCO Regional Office for West Africa and its Field Offices held a subregional webinar on 21 October 2026 entitled “Safeguarding and Promoting Shared Living Heritage as a Vector for Cohesion and Cooperation in West Africa”. The meeting provided an opportunity to highlight the cultural ties that unite communities across borders and strengthen prospects for cooperation in safeguarding this heritage.
Living Heritage That Brings Communities Together
From the rhythms of the Balafon to the traditions of the Kankurang, from cultural expressions associated with Gèlèdé to textile-making skills, living heritage reflects the richness of exchanges and the historical ties between communities in West Africa.
This online meeting brought together 200 participants from diverse backgrounds, including community representatives, facilitators, representatives of States Parties to the Convention and civil society. With strong participation from all 15 West African countries and the rest of the continent, the webinar highlighted that living heritage does not stop at administrative borders, but bears witness to population movements, shared practices and ongoing relationships between communities.
National Experiences Informing Regional Reflection
The presentations highlighted more than nine elements of living heritage and several associated practices, illustrating the diversity of cultural expressions and the opportunities for cooperation they offer.
For example, cultural practices and expressions associated with the Balafon and the Kolintang, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia, illustrated the role of music in the transmission of knowledge.
Furthermore, the festivals and initiatives to promote living heritage presented during the discussions demonstrated how gatherings of communities that practise and transmit this heritage, youth training and the recognition of practitioners contribute to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.
The meeting also addressed issues relating to textile heritage, notably through Guinea’s experience and the legal measures undertaken to promote and safeguard Leppi (or Lépi), an iconic traditional fabric of the country. This good practice highlights the importance of recognizing artisanal skills, protecting against counterfeiting, safeguarding community rights and supporting the actors who contribute to the continuity of these skills.
Other contributions focused on Gèlèdé oral heritage, an element shared by Benin, Nigeria and Togo, as well as the Kankurang, a Manding initiation rite inscribed by the Gambia and Senegal but practised in many countries across the subregion. These examples demonstrate that certain rites and traditions constitute shared cultural references for several communities and territories, while retaining their distinctive characteristics, evolving over time and preserving their own meanings.
Safeguarding shared heritage does not mean standardizing practices, but rather recognizing the ties that bring them together, respecting the specificities of each community and encouraging joint initiatives when these respond to the needs of the communities concerned.
Transmitting to Younger Generations and Promoting Heritage Without Distorting Its Meaning
Transmission is one of the major challenges in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. While knowledge and practices are traditionally transmitted within families, communities and shared spaces, social changes and digital technologies also offer new opportunities.
During the discussions, participants explored, in particular, how digital tools can help raise awareness of living heritage and spark the interest of younger generations without altering its meaning. Audiovisual documentation, digital reedge, provided they are developed with respect for communities and their practices
Digital technologies, however, cannot replace direct transmission or participation in cultural practices. They can complement these processes, facilitate the circulation of knowledge and create new bridges between heritage bearers, young people and audiences who are geographically distant.
The discussions thus reaffirmed that communities must remain at the heart of safeguarding efforts, from the documentation of practices to their transmission and promotion, as advocated by the 2003 Convention.
Making Living Heritage a Driver of Dialogue and Sustainable Development
In West Africa, living heritage is much more than a testimony to the past. It remains dynamic, continually recreated by communities, and contributes to social cohesion, intercultural dialogue and the vitality of territories.
Through this regional meeting, UNESCO reaffirmed the importance of supporting communities and stakeholders in their efforts to safeguard and transmit this heritage, while fostering exchanges and cooperation initiatives between countries.
Recognizing what is shared, respecting the diversity of practices and strengthening ties between communities are all essential ways of making living heritage a ret Africa
- Intangible cultural heritage and UNESCO’s actions: https://ich.unesco.org/en/home
- The objectives of the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices: https://ich.unesco.org/en/purpose-of-the-lists-00807
- UNESCO’s support to Senegal in safeguarding its culinary heritage: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-providing-support-senegal-safeguarding-its-culinary-heritage?hub=66946
UNESCO Dakar
UNESCO Dakar
UNESCO Dakar
UNESCO Dakar
UNESCO Dakar
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- Culture
- Priority Africa
- Intangible cultural heritage
- Region: Africa
- UNESCO Office in Dakar and Regional Bureau for Education
- SDG: SDG 8 – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
- See moreadd
This article is related to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 8 – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
