President William Ruto has called for a comprehensive reimagining of the global heritage management frameworks to better represent African cultural realities. Speaking at the conclusion of the International Conference on Cultural Heritage and Authenticity in Africa, held at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Ruto underscored the urgent need to align global heritage standards with Africa’s unique cultural and philosophical contexts.
He pointed out that although Africa hosts 147 World Heritage elements around 12% of the global total it also has the highest number of sites listed as “World Heritage in Danger.” This imbalance, he argued, reflects systemic and conceptual inequities embedded in heritage frameworks that often prioritize Western values and material preservation, neglecting Africa’s spiritually infused and dynamic cultural landscapes.
“The time has come to revisit and reimagine these concepts; to strengthen their meaning, and to deepen and diversify them,” Ruto asserted. “We must ground them in Africa’s philosophical, spiritual, and cultural realities.”
The President challenged prevailing interpretations of “authenticity” and “integrity,” the core criteria used by UNESCO in World Heritage inscription. He observed that these notions have largely been shaped by Western academic traditions, which tend to overlook the living and evolving nature of African heritage.
Ruto traced Africa’s journey in reclaiming its heritage narrative through landmark meetings in Tiwi (1999), Great Zimbabwe (2000), and the adoption of the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance in 2006. He linked these efforts to the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a culturally confident and sovereign continent.
Showcasing Kenya’s role, Ruto cited its eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Lamu Old Town, Mount Kenya Natural Forest, and the newly inscribed Gedi National Monument. He also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the Turkana Boy fossil, reaffirming Kenya’s identity as the “Home of Human Origins.”
President Ruto concluded by thanking Japan and France for their support in heritage preservation and underscored the importance of global collaboration in creating inclusive heritage frameworks that honour all civilizations equitably.
