Death and memory are commonalities across human societies. In August, ASOR’s partner AESPAT developed and led a three-day event to clean and restore two cemeteries in the village of Nafégué in Mali. Events like this offer a powerful way for people to unite around the shared experience of loss and remembrance, to learn more about each other, and to build the relationships needed to achieve common goals.

Textile production in Mali’s Dogon Country has deep roots, but the craft is under pressure from industrial manufacture and the disruption of knowledge transfer between generations. ASOR and Association Dogon Initiatives (ADI) hosted a heritage event to raise awareness about the shared history of textile production among the inhabitants of the Dogon region and to promote its revival through wider participation in its practice. At the event, attendees learned how to process cotton and spin thread while listening to the music of a local dance group.

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.