United States and Kenya Announce New Initiatives to Support Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Workforce Development, and the Creative Economy

United States and Kenya Announce New Initiatives to Support Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Workforce Development, and the Creative Economy


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During the recent State Visit of President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto of the Republic of Kenya, the United States and Kenya announced new initiatives and public diplomacy programs to elevate culture as a diplomatic platform that will bring people together, preserve cultural heritage, and strengthen the economies of our two countries.  The Department’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) will continue the United States’ long-term investments across Africa to preserve and protect cultural heritage and boost tourism.  In addition, in partnership with key industry leaders such as the Recording Academy, the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, and other leading private sector and civil society institutions, the United States will launch new programs that will promote collaboration, build capacity, and bolster professional creative industry ecosystems.  Through these initiatives, the United States and Kenya will connect industry leaders in music, film, and television and provide key technical and vocational skills needed to support a sustainable and thriving creative infrastructure.


As part of the shared focus on tourism and cultural heritage, the AFCP will support efforts led by the National Museums of Kenya to preserve the archaeological site of Takwa, a 15th- and 16th-century Swahili trading town.  AFCP projects help preserve a wide range of cultural heritage – including historic buildings, archaeological sites, ethnographic objects, paintings, manuscripts, and indigenous languages and other forms of traditional cultural expression – and contribute to local economies by supporting tourism.  Since 2001, AFCP has invested $18.2 million in the preservation of cultural heritage in over 45 countries in Africa.


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Source: US Department of State



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