Italy has launched a three-year training program in Kenya dedicated to the development of cultural tourism, a sector that Nairobi has identified as strategic for the country's growth.
The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), and is implemented by the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) in collaboration with the University of La Sapienza in Rome, an international center of excellence in archaeological research and teaching.
The initiative, titled “Professional and scientific training for the development of cultural tourism”, was officially presented in recent days in Nairobi. The launch ceremony was attended by Fabio Santoni, Scientific Attaché of the Italian Embassy in Kenya, AICS representatives from Nairobi, and a delegation of Italian experts coordinated by Sapienza and NMK.
The program will develop between Nairobi and the Lake Turkana region, an area of extraordinary archaeological and cultural importance, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, there are fossils of hominids and unique rock art sites that are still underappreciated from a tourism perspective.
The project's objective is to train a new generation of professionals capable of combining research, conservation, and management of cultural heritage, in such a way as to make cultural tourism a real driver of sustainable development for local communities.
As emphasized by the Italian Ambassador to Kenya, Roberto Natali, Italy is internationally recognized as a leader in the protection and promotion of cultural heritage: “Collaboration with Kenya paves the way for a genuine exchange of knowledge and skills, capable of generating mutual benefits for both countries”.
The program will extend from 2025 to 2028 and, according to the promoters, will contribute to improving research, conservation, and enhancement of cultural resources, creating new professional skills to support cultural tourism in Kenya.
