--- title: Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi join World Cities Culture Forum date: 2026-10-19T09:18:21Z modified: 2026-10-19T09:23:06Z permalink: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/2026/10/19/dakar-johannesburg-and-nairobi-join-world-cities-culture-forum/" type: post status: publish excerpt: "With support from UNESCO's International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD), World Cities Culture Forum will work with city governments in Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi to strengthen data-driven policymaking for culture and the creative industries in the region. World Cities Culture Forum is the only international NGO to receive a grant in the 2026 UNESCO IFCD round, and the only selected project working across several countries." wpid: 176327 categories: - Uncategorized tags: - Uncategorized - african cities - dakar - IFCD - johannesburg - nairobi - unesco - Africa - Leadership - Network city-region: - Africa topic: - Leadership - Network featured_image: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Public-Art-scaled.jpg" timestamp: 2026-10-19T09:23:06Z --- ## Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi join our global network with support from UNESCO ![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Public-Art-1024x576.jpg) Image courtesy of the City of JohannesburgWe’re delighted to welcome Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi to World Cities Culture Forum. With support from [UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD)](https://www.unesco.org/creativity/en/international-fund-cultural-diversity), World Cities Culture Forum will work with city governments in Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi to strengthen data-driven policymaking for culture and the creative industries in the region. World Cities Culture Forum is the only international NGO to receive a grant in the 2026 UNESCO IFCD round, and the only selected project working across several countries. Our global network now spans more than 50 cities across six continents, representing over 260 million people. Representatives from Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi will join more than 175 city leaders at the 15th World Cities Culture Summit in Tokyo, bringing their cities’ cultural perspectives and expertise to this global community of civic leaders. ![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/DSCF4159-1-1024x683.jpg) Stellah Kemuto, Nairobi City County (middle), Lonwabo Mavuso (Andani.Africa) (right), at the World Cities Culture Summit 2023 in São Paulo.> _By 2050, Africa’s urban population will double and the decisions being made now about culture and the creative economy will shape the lives of tens of millions of people._ > > **Justine Simons OBE**, Founder of World Cities Culture Forum and London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries ### **Our research** Our research collaboration with Dakar, Nairobi and Johannesburg project builds on [_African Alternatives_](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/WCCF-African-Alternatives.pdf) (2024), our report with [Andani.Africa](https://www.andani.africa/) and the British Council, which surveyed cultural policymaking in 11 African cities. Two findings stood out. 83.5% of stakeholders said a lack of data and evidence was the biggest barrier to investment in culture. And 90% said peer networks were a vital source of learning. This new collaboration responds to both. Over the next two years, we’ll work with Johannesburg-based research agency Andani.Africa to build stronger cultural data and support the growing creative industries in all three cities. Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi will also feature in the 6th edition of the _World Cities Culture Report_ (2028), the world’s most comprehensive dataset on culture in cities. _“By 2050, Africa’s urban population will double and the decisions being made now about culture and the creative economy will shape the lives of tens of millions of people. We know that cities equipped with better data go on to unlock greater investment, stronger policies and more support for their creative sectors. We are delighted to welcome Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi to our global network, and grateful to UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity for making it possible.”_ – **Justine Simons OBE**, Founder of World Cities Culture Forum and London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries _“We are proud to embark on this collaboration with the World Cities Culture Forum and UNESCO. Dakar is a crucible of boundless creative energy teeming with possibilities; through this network, we are finally asserting the vital place and profound significance of African cultures, and the transformative role they can play for the benefit of the world.”_ – **Vydia Tamby**, Editorial Manager at Éditions Vives Voix & Associate at the African Archives Fund for the Preservation of Memories (Formally Cultural Counsellor of the City of Dakar) _“The City of Johannesburg is elated about joining the World Cities Culture Forum through this important partnership with UNESCO. We are committed to strengthening the African voice on the network and locating Africa at the centre of the global cultural development discourse.”_ – **Vuyisile Mshudulu**, Director of Arts, Culture and Heritage, City of Johannesburg _“Culture is central to Nairobi’s identity, resilience and future. It shapes our public life, supports creative livelihoods and strengthens the connections between people and place. We are pleased to join this collaboration with the World Cities Culture Forum and UNESCO, which will help us better understand, measure and communicate the contribution of culture to the life of our city. It is an important step in Nairobi’s journey towards becoming a leading African capital of culture.”_ – **Rosemary Kariuki**, County Executive Committee Member for Inclusivity, Public Participation and Customer Service, Nairobi City County _“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the World Cities Culture Forum on this important initiative. As Andani.Africa celebrates 10 years of working across Africa’s cultural and creative industries, we bring deep expertise in cultural data, evidence-based policymaking, and an intimate understanding of the continent’s creative ecosystems. We look forward to supporting Dakar, Johannesburg and Nairobi in strengthening their cultural data infrastructure and elevating African voices in global cultural policy conversations.”_ – **Lonwabo Mavuso**, Director, Andani.Africa ![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Pantsula-1024x710-1.jpg) Image courtesy of the City of Johannesburg### **About the International Fund for Cultural Diversity** UNESCO’s [International Fund for Cultural Diversity](https://www.unesco.org/creativity/en/international-fund-cultural-diversity) supports projects in developing countries that create or reform cultural policies and build sustainable cultural industries. It is part of UNESCO’s 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.