The National Museums of Kenya buzzed with creative energy as the third edition of the Culture Grows Symposium held between 23rd – 26th July 2025 brought together 700 cultural practitioners, technologists and heritage advocates from across the globe.
The four-day hybrid event, themed Heritage in the Digital Age: An Exploration of Indigenous Knowledge and Technology, hosted groundbreaking conversations about the future of cultural preservation in an increasingly digital world.
The symposium was organized by the British Council in partnership with Twaweza Communications, with support from the Cultural Protection Fund and as part of the broader UK/Kenya Season 2025 celebrations.
The UK High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan officially opened the symposium on Wednesday, joined by Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Culture, the Arts & Heritage, Ummi Bashir, and Ruth McKenzie CBE, the newly appointed British Council Global Director for Arts.
The high-level opening ceremony underscored the international significance of the gathering, which forms a cornerstone of the UK/Kenya Season 2025.
“Cultural heritage sits at the heart of our work, not only as a way of preserving identity and memory, but as a dynamic space for innovation, inclusion, and social change,” remarked Ruth McKenzie CBE during the opening ceremony. “The conversations here in Nairobi reflect the global challenges we all face: how to protect what matters, support community-led approaches, and harness technology in ways that are ethical and imaginative.”
One of the symposium’s most celebrated aspects was its commitment to amplifying young voices in the cultural sector. From virtual reality demonstrations to AI-powered storytelling sessions, the event provided numerous platforms for emerging artists, digital innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs to showcase their work and engage with established practitioners.
The hybrid format proved particularly effective in democratizing access, with online sessions attracting participants from over 16 countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Vietnam, Nepal and the United Kingdom. Interactive panels such as Hashtags & Heritage – Storytelling in the Age of Social Media and People Behind the Platforms: How Digital Tools Connect Youth to Cultural Heritage resonated strongly with the youthful attendees.
Dr. Kimani Njogu, linguist and Executive Director of Twaweza Communications, emphasized the importance of community agency in digital cultural preservation. “This symposium reflects our commitment to amplifying indigenous knowledge systems and community agency. As technologies evolve, so must our strategies for safeguarding culture, through collaboration, respectful documentation, storytelling, and policy innovation.”
The symposium showcased cutting-edge applications of digital technology in heritage preservation, from AI reconstructions of historical monuments to augmented reality tours of cultural sites. A highlight was the demonstration of the Fort Jesus VR experience by Scriptease, which illustrated how immersive technology can make historical sites accessible to global audiences while preserving their cultural significance.
A session on AI Meets Culture sparked intense debate about ownership, representation, and ethical use of artificial intelligence in cultural documentation. Participants from the African Digital Heritage platform shared insights on community-driven digitization projects, while discussions how Decolonising AI can address power dynamics in technology development.
“We’re excited to host a gathering that places community-led knowledge and practice at the centre of the future of heritage,” said Maureen Anzaye, Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Programme Manager for Cultural Heritage at the British Council. “We’re discovering how digital tools can help communities protect, reimagine, and share their experiences in inclusive and grounded ways.”
The symposium also showcased the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, the UK’s primary mechanism for supporting international cultural heritage.
Beyond formal sessions, the symposium fostered informal networking through evening events like the Night at the Museum which brought together local and international participants for performances by renowned artists including Kenyan singer-songwriters Mutoriah and Lisa Oduor as well as Sudanese singer, Mohammed Adam.
These cultural exchanges embodied the symposium’s core mission of building bridges between traditional practices and contemporary innovation, between local communities and global networks and between different generations of cultural practitioners.
As the symposium concluded, participants expressed enthusiasm for continued collaboration through follow-up programming scheduled for Lagos, Nigeria, and London, UK, later this year.
