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Institute for African Culture and International Understanding (IACIU) > About Us
Background

The Institute for African Culture and International Understanding (IACIU) is a UNESCO category 2 Institute established in 2009. The agreement for establishment between the Federal Government of Nigeria, UNESCO and the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library was signed on April 8.

The early years of establishment saw IACIU establish itself as UNESCO lead agency in the implementation of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. It also organised programmes in areas of cultural preservation, intercultural dialogue, and the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It also established partnership with government agencies, UNESCO culture sector, culture organisations, civil society organisations and the academia in Africa.

Vision

The vision of the Institute is “to increase inter-cultural dialogue and international understanding between Africa and other civilisations”.

Mission

The mission of the institute is to preserve Africa’s cultural heritage, promote and strengthen renaissance in African cultures both at the regional and international levels.

Funtions and Objectives

The functions and objectives of the Institute was revised in the after the first evaluation as follows:

  1. The primary purpose of the Institute shall be to give greater recognition to culture as an enabler and a driver of sustainable development in the post-2015 development agenda, notably by promoting and supporting the implementation of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions within the Africa region. To this end, the Institute aims at:
  • raising awareness among stakeholders and supporting research, indicator development/benchmarking and the collection of information, data and best practicesat the national, and regional levels in Africa about the 2005 Convention and developing tools for effective monitoring and communication about the Convention;
  • contributing to program delivery in Africa through capacity building programmes to support the effective implementation of the 2005 Convention at the national level, by strengthening human and institutional capacities in the cultural and creative industries, supporting the preparation of international assistance requests to the International Fund for Cultural Diversity, and supporting the preparation of quadrennial periodic reports;
  • facilitating African and international partnerships and synergies with academic entities, UN, international and regional organizations, as well as civil society networks for the implementation of the 2005 Convention at the country leveland providing a platform of cooperation for them; and
  • exploring the links between this work and other relevant international initiatives such as the UNESCO General History of Africa programme or the International Decade for People of African Descent(2015-2024).
  1. The Institute shall also cooperate and network with other thematically relevant category 2 institutes under the auspices of UNESCO, UNESCO Field Offices and UNESCO Chairs in the fields of its mandate.