Heritage Cities Learning Together
What does it truly take for a historic city to protect its past while nurturing the heartbeat of its living culture? This question lingered in the warm coastal air on 1–2 December 2025, as delegates from across Africa and the globe stepped onto the narrow streets of Lamu Old Town. The Regional Africa Meeting of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) was beginning, and for Lamu, hosting it felt like welcoming friends at home who would soon become family—for this is the undeniable charm of the island. This gathering was made possible thanks to the newly founded Friends of Lamu Cultural Heritage (FLCH) . Though young, the organization has already made a significant mark: helping secure Lamu’s inclusion on the World Monuments Watch List and its active participation in the New Urban Heritage Regeneration Accelerator. This recognition was more than an accolade—it was an opportunity to revive the Old Town’s essence, which had been fading away. With a pilot conservation project, Lam...