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British Council Opens Culture Grows Symposium 2025 with Key Focus on
Exploring Indigenous Knowledge and Digital Innovation
Nairobi, 24 July 2025: The British Council, in partnership with Twaweza
Communications, has launched the third edition of the Culture Grows Symposium 2025 at
the National Museums of Kenya. Themed "Heritage in the Digital Age: An Exploration of
Indigenous Knowledge and Technology," the hybrid event marks the highlight of the
UK/Kenya Season 2025, bringing together diverse voices and perspectives from across the
globe.
Running until 26 July 2025, with follow-up programmes scheduled in Lagos, Nigeria and
London, UK later in the year, the Symposium draws a vibrant mix of artists and creatives,
technologists and innovators, educators, researchers, and cultural entrepreneurs from
across the continent and beyond. It invites those working at the intersection of culture
and technology to reflect on how cultural heritage is preserved, reimagined, and shared
across generations and borders.
Building on the legacy of past symposia held in 2020 and 2022, this year’s gathering
highlights community-led approaches to cultural preservation. The Symposium will shine
a light on partners and projects from the Cultural Protection Fund, the UK’s primary
mechanism for supporting international cultural heritage. The Fund plays a vital role in
safeguarding heritage at risk due to conflict and climate change, while contributing to
sustainable development and locally driven solutions.
Attendees and contributors hail from over 16 countries, including South Africa, Kenya,
Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and Vietnam, as well as
the UK, Netherlands, Nepal, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Pakistan, forming a truly
global conversation.
Ruth McKenzie CBE, Director of Arts, British Council, commented:
“Cultural heritage sits at the heart of our work, not only as a way of preserving identity
and memory, but as a dynamic space for innovation, inclusion, and social change. The
conversations here in Nairobi reflect the global challenges we all face: how to protect what
matters, support community-led approaches, and harness technology in ways that are
ethical and imaginative.”
Maureen Anzaye, Programme Manager, Cultural Heritage at the British Council, added:
“We’re excited to host a platform that places community-led knowledge and practice at
the centre of the future of heritage. We are discovering how digital tools can help
communities protect, reimagine, and share their experiences in inclusive and grounded
ways.”
Dr. Kimani Njogu, a linguist and Executive Director of Twaweza Communications, shared:
“The Symposium reflects our commitment to amplifying indigenous knowledge systems
and community agency. As technologies evolve, so must our strategies for safeguarding
culture, through collaboration, respectful documentation, storytelling, and policy
innovation.”
What to Expect
The programme features a rich array of keynotes, interactive panels, exhibitions, and
immersive showcases, including a Night at the Museum experience on 25 July. Topics
include:
• Community-driven innovation in heritage
• Role of AI in cultural documentation
• Ethical considerations in digital access and ownership
• Community rights in the digital space
• Identity, narratives, and the influence of social media
• Youth engagement through social media
Programme Highlights
The Symposium also spotlights projects supported by the British Council, including Braid
Fund, Creative DNA, Catalyst Grants, African Digital Heritage , showcasing how digital
platforms can expand access to cultural tools and networks across communities.
About the Cultural Heritage Programme
The British Council’s work in Cultural Heritage focuses on collaboration with communities
to protect, value, and share cultural heritage. By supporting innovative, community-led
initiatives, the programme fosters access to knowledge and networks that create tangible
opportunities for social and economic development. For more information, visit:
https://cultural-protection-fund.brit...
To learn more about the Symposium, click link: https://www.britishcouncil.org/east-a...
arts/culture-responds-global-challenges/cultural-heritage-symposium
About UK/Kenya Season 2025
The British Council is collaborating with partners in the UK and Kenya to present a
programme of activities in 2025 that celebrate creativity and innovation through the arts,
culture, and education. With a thematic focus on innovation, the UK/Kenya Season 2025
will create opportunities in arts, culture, heritage, and education. Activities will take place
in both countries between May and November 2025, with public events showcasing work
ranging from architecture, design, and fashion to literature, music, visual arts, performing
arts, and film.
For more information, visit: https://www.britishcouncil.co.ke/uk-k...