UNESCO Africa Week

The exhibition was part of UNESCO's annual Africa Week, which brings together cultural, scientific, artistic, and culinary events to celebrate the African continent. The 2019 edition focused on the theme “Peace, innovation, and sustainable development in Africa.” Our exhibition aimed to showcase Somalia's rich architectural heritage, and we incorporated cutting-edge technology, such as Virtual Reality (VR), to engage visitors in a more interactive way. The response to the exhibition was overwhelmingly positive, and the use of VR was particularly well-received. Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, commended the VR tours, calling them a “powerful way to raise awareness of cultural heritage.” She expressed her pride in Somalia’s representation at the event. This exposure ultimately contributed to Somalia signing the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage the following year, marking a major milestone in the country's commitment to preserving its cultural heritage.