Building on the 2022 Declaration of Dignity, Transparency and Continuity, this edition focused on turning words into concrete practices for more just and collaborative governance in cultural institutions. African delegates stood out by highlighting questions of restitution, colonial legacies, and the resilience of their communities.

Among the participants were Patrick Mudekereza (Congo), Prince Koum Ndoumbe III (Cameroon), Assumpta Mugiraneza (Rwanda), Marcella Katjijova (Namibia), Achiles Mujunangoma Bufure (Tanzania), and Laibor Moko (Tanzania). Their contributions emphasized how African societies are not passive subjects of history, but active agents shaping global narratives of cultural cooperation.

The Preparatory Group of the GCA, which included African representatives, reminded audiences that contrary to colonial-era narratives, African cultures are not “disappearing.” Instead, they continue to resist, adapt, and propose new ways of thinking about memory, heritage, and international collaboration.

One of the Assembly’s main outcomes was progress toward the Global Cultural Embassy (GCE), a permanent structure for shared governance at the Humboldt Forum. African delegates actively contributed to shaping this initiative, ensuring that restitution, recognition of knowledge systems, and new collaborative practices remain at the center of the agenda.

“We are not only guardians of the past but active creators of the future of cultural cooperation,” stated a Tanzanian delegate during the sessions, underscoring the active role of African communities in shaping global cultural policy.

• https://www.humboldtforum.org/en/presse/mitteilungen/global-cultural-assembly-2025-from-declaration-to-action/
• https://www.humboldtforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20250520_PR_GCA.pdf
• https://www.museumsportal-berlin.de/en/events/global-cultural-assembly-2025/