Kigali 19^th August 2022, the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA) in partnership with the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) held a pre-launch event of the Rwanda Heritage Hub (RHH), a project that aims to enable the valorization and celebration of Rwanda's heritage, which is rich in cultural and natural resources – both tangible and intangible. 

The Rwanda Heritage Hub (RHH) aims to position the cultural heritage sector in youth job creation for the socio-economic development of Rwanda. It will focus on creating activities that will enable the use of new technologies to involve youth in the protection and promotion of Rwanda’s cultural heritage in all its forms.

Based in the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA), the RHH will take advantage of the position of Rwanda as a growing economy in East Africa, and of Kigali, its capital, as a hub for digital transformation, to explore on the application of new technologies for the development and outreach of the cultural heritage sector in conjunction with the development of the creative industries.

Objectives of RHH include raising awareness and sensitize youth about Rwanda’s cultural heritage, while building a sense of ownership and pride in consuming locally made products related to cultural heritage and inspire youth in using cultural heritage content to foster entrepreneurship and business facilitated by digital technology, developing creative products which engage youth in cultural heritage promotion while creating revenue generating jobs. RHH will also contribute to the professionalization of cultural heritage and cultural tourism practitioners in Rwanda, and foster a new generation of culturally-engaged entrepreneurs and practitioners.

A disconnection has been realised between cultural heritage and people, over the past decades. Especially young people in Rwanda lack knowledge regarding their cultural heritage which is reinforced by the inadequate skills for the majority of cultural heritage practitioners. RHH is expected to address these issues.

The RHH will be under the management of the RCHA and its activities and coordination will be subject to the general rules of procedure within the RCHA and will align its goals and projects with the RCHA general direction, strategic planning and the Ministry of Youth and Culture.

Rwanda is among the four existing heritage hubs in Africa, together with South Africa, Kenya and Senegal.