Heritage protection is most effective and rewarding as a collaborative pursuit. To help build connections between heritage advocates in Burkina Faso, ASOR 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.

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 ASOR’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, ASOR 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. ASOR welcomes you to view the symposium recordings.