AFIDFF Selected for 2025 UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers Initiative Across Three Nigerian Sites

The African International Documentary Festival Foundation (AFIDFF) is honored to announce its selection as the lead implementing organization for the 2025 UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative, under the global theme: “Working on the Future.”

AFIDFF will lead three volunteer action camps across some of Nigeria’s most culturally and ecologically significant heritage sites:

• Ancient Kano City Walls and Associated Sites (Kano State) – 7th to 17th September 2025 

• Gashaka-Gumti National Park & Mambila Plateau (Taraba State) – 28th September to 7th October 2025

• Sukur Cultural Landscape (Adamawa State) – 2nd to 9th November 2025

These sites are part of the 89 WHV action camp projects selected globally in 2025, to be implemented at 82 World Heritage properties and Tentative List sites, coordinated by 70 organizations across 41 countries.

Notably, this marks the first time the Ancient Kano City Walls have been selected for the WHV program, despite being on UNESCO’s Tentative List for over two decades. Its inclusion signals growing momentum for recognition, conservation, and youth-led engagement around this iconic site.

AFIDFF has been a proud participant in the WHV initiative since 2021, beginning with the Sukur Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Adamawa State. Since then, AFIDFF has continued to promote community-based heritage conservation through youth participation, storytelling, and documentary education.

In delivering the 2025 WHV action camps, AFIDFF will be working in collaboration with:

• The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM)

• The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA)

• The Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM-UNESCO)

• Academic institutions such as Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, and the American University of Nigeria, Yola

• The State Governments of Kano, Taraba, and Adamawa

• And many other dedicated partners and stakeholders

We are honored to continue this journey with UNESCO and our local communities,” said Malame Mangzha, Director General of AFIDFF. “Each selected site represents a piece of Africa’s legacy. Through these action camps, we’re not just preserving history, we're investing in future generations.”

The 2025 WHV activities will feature:

1. Conservation and restoration work

2. Youth-led storytelling and media training

3. Cultural exchange and local empowerment

4. Digital documentation and environmental education

 For more information about the UNESCO WHV Initiative, visit https://whc.unesco.org/en/volunteers2025/