On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the Regional Centre for the Living Arts in Africa (CERAV/Africa), in collaboration with the Burkinabe National Commission for UNESCO, organized a webinar aimed at building the capacity of African cultural stakeholders regarding project submissions for funding calls from the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD).
This initiative addresses the observation that many African cultural stakeholders struggle to access IFCD funding, largely due to a lack of familiarity with its mechanisms and the technical requirements for developing project proposals.
Over the course of more than three hours, participants heard from three high-level experts: Michel SABA, an expert on the 2005 UNESCO Convention; Dr. Désiré OUÉDRAOGO, a member of the 2005 Convention’s International Pool of Experts; and Ahmed HARMASSI, an expert in cultural and creative industries who has also benefited from an IFCD-funded project.
The presentations explained the Fund’s operations, selection criteria, and common application errors, as well as best practices for designing projects that are innovative, sustainable, and aligned with the objectives of the 2005 Convention.
Experts particularly emphasized the need to:
• master the principles of the 2005 Convention before applying to the IFCD;
• propose projects that address genuine challenges regarding the transformation of the cultural sector;
• clearly demonstrate expected impacts, measurable results, and contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
• demonstrate rigor, innovation, and perseverance, as success often hinges on the progressive refinement of project proposals.
Discussions with participants also highlighted the need for greater support for cultural stakeholders, a better understanding of IFCD tools, and strengthened collaboration among African countries to undertake larger-scale projects.
Through this activity, CERAV/Afrique reaffirms its commitment to supporting professionals in the performing arts and the cultural and creative industries in developing their skills, with the aim of increasing funding opportunities and contributing to the implementation of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
CERAV/Afrique will continue its training and experience-sharing initiatives to enable African cultural actors to better leverage international funding mechanisms in support of creativity, innovation, and sustainable development.
