World Heritage Day 2025: ZSTHS marks occasion with special exhibitions

ZANZIBAR: THE Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society (ZSTHS) celebrated World Heritage Day 2025 with great enthusiasm and pride, engaging with students from higher learning institutions.

Observed annually on 18th April, World Heritage Day was instituted by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) to raise awareness about the importance of cultural heritage and the need for its preservation.

To mark the occasion, a special Heritage Exhibition was organised at the ZSTHS building, formerly Customs House, Mizingani area, where passerby, students, and history enthusiasts, to learn about the history of the Stone Tonw and its current threats including climate change and how they can help to preserve the town.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site, since year 2000, Zanzibar Stone Town is also facing pressure from development projects including new buildings, shops, and traffic from increasing vehicles providing services in the protected town.

According to the the ZSTHS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Makame Juma Mtwana, they decided to print many posters containing message motivating readers (students, residents, and other people) to increase interest taking mitigation efforts to conserve the Stone Town.

“We invited students from universities to come and learn or get remind about their Stone Town and what they are supposed to do in conservations efforts. We also distributed posters,” said Mr Mtwana after the last Friday event to mark the world Heritage Day also known as International Day of Monuments and Sites (IDMS).

He tasked members of the community including students to create various education/ public awareness programmes to help all people including children, teens, and older persons realise that each has the responsibility to protect the heritage Town.

He said that ZSTHS in collaboration with stakeholders, is pushing for increased public awareness, commitment of all stakeholders, and implementation of workable adaptation and mitigation of climate change measures as the only way to protect the islands’ World heritage site.

The theme for 2025, as proposed by ICOMOS, is “Disaster and Conflict Resilient Heritage Actions in Relation to Safeguarding Heritage,” and the UNESCO World Heritage refers to its five C’s, which constitute the “strategic objectives” of the World Heritage Convention: credibility, Conservation, capacity-building, communication and communities.

Mr Makame Juma Mtwana said that this year’s World Heritage Day boosts Zanzibar’s fresh move to revive its intangible cultural heritage, described as the forgotten roots of the heritage.

Last month, primary school students from Zanzibar’s Stone Town gathered at Forodhani sea front to participate in traditional game, as part of a fresh initiative to revive the island’s diminishing intangible cultural heritage.

In a joint meeting to discuss the campaign, senior officers from the Zanzibar Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, stakeholders, and the Zanzibar Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority (ZSTCDA) pledged to collaborate in achieving this goal.

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Eng. Ali Said Bakar, Executive Director of ZSTCDA and spearhead of the campaign, said that the national initiative aims to educate students about Zanzibar’s intangible heritage and encourage them to learn and practice it.

“Our focus has been on tangible heritage to promote tourism, but now we are shifting attention to intangible cultural heritage. Encouraging students and teachers to revive these traditions will help safeguard and promote these cultural elements,” Eng Bakar said.

He emphasised that traditional arts and crafts, drawing, and children’s games such as Nage, Mdako, Fumbo and Kuruka Kamba are essential for children’s healthy growth as creates opportunity for physical exercise.

Additionally, he noted that these activities could boost tourism, as many visitors are eager to experience local traditions.

Eng Bakar also highlighted that the campaign aligns with UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which underscores the importance of preserving these cultural practices.

Ms Amina Salum Khalfan from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training reaffirmed that the campaign is already underway. She urged parents and the community to support their children in participating in traditional games.

“We are reviving our intangible heritage by promoting traditional sports in schools. Parental and community involvement is crucial so that we can succeed,” Ms. Khalfan said.

Mr Mohammed Bajubeir, representing other stakeholders, stated that they have already engaged several schools in Stone Town.

After participating in opening traditional games at a public event last month in Stone Town, “We plan to expand the campaign to promote intangible cultural heritage.”

He noted that Zanzibar is rich in oral traditions, performing arts including music, dance, and drama social practices, rituals, and festive events.

However, due to a lack of conservation efforts, many of these traditions have been fading.

Mr Bajubeir expressed confidence that through collaboration, the campaign will successfully raise awareness about the significance of intangible cultural heritage at local, national, and international levels.