In 2011 ICAHM began an Africa Initiative “The Potential Role of the World Heritage Convention, ICOMOS, and ICAHM in African Archaeological Site Preservation and Economic Development” geared towards identifying sites with potentials to be included in the World Heritage List thus increasing the number of World Heritage Sites in Africa to balance it with other sites in the world. Therefore, we are now happy to announce that the next ICAHM meeting will take us for the first time to the African continent, to the commercial capital of Tanzania on the shores of Indian Ocean in Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania is endowed with important paleoanthropological sites such as Olduvai Gorge and the Laetoli World Heritage Sites in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where remains of Australopithecus boisei, Australopithecus aethiopicus, Australopithecus afarensis, and the 3.6 million years old hominin footprints have been discovered. The country is also famous for coastal sites such as Kilwa Kisiwani and Zanzibar. The island that is rich with tangible and intangible heritage resources, continues to be a gateway to the world both in the past as it has been depicted in historical writings and archaeological discoveries linking it not only with the Middle East and the Far East (Southeast Asia), but also with Africa’s Hinterlands as well as its contemporary role as a vibrant Island city and a doorway to the rest of the world.

The emphasis of this meeting will be on: trade routes to and from sub-Saharan Africa to the rest of the world, the Africa Initiative, and conservation and sustainable use of paleoanthropological sites. Furthermore, we intent to organize sessions on: Inclusive Social Development, World Heritage Sites as Sources for Sustainable Development, Paleoanthropology, Tourism management and Digital Technologies.

You will be offered the opportunity to book a pre-conference excursion to Zanzibar and a post-conference excursion to the Ngorongoro Crater where we will visit Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli Footprints and hopefully spot the Big Five!

We hope to welcome you in Dar es Salaam this year!