Nairobi, Kenya – 16th August 2024 – The Africa PID Alliance (APA) is delighted to announce a strategic partnership with the Bugungu Heritage and Information Centre. This five-year collaboration is purposed to drive forward the digitization and preservation of indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage, with a particular focus on the Bagungu Community.
The partnership aims to address the need for reliable open research infrastructure that supports the digital documentation and accessibility of cultural and indigenous knowledge across Africa. Africa PID Alliance will lead efforts to facilitate the digitization of research outputs, including indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage by assigning persistent identifiers to ensure their long-term accessibility and visibility within the global research ecosystem. On the other hand, Bugungu Heritage and Information Centre will contribute its expertise in the development of a centralized digital repository, which will be instrumental in safeguarding the cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge of the community it serves. This will ensure that valuable traditions and practices are not only preserved but also made accessible to a wider audience.

Both organizations expressed enthusiasm about the partnership and its potential impact. Joy Owango, the Project Lead from the Africa PID Alliance, emphasized the importance of preserving Africa’s rich cultural heritage through digital means: “This collaboration marks a significant step towards safeguarding the invaluable knowledge and traditions of communities like the Bagungu. By leveraging our expertise in persistent identifiers and open research infrastructure, we aim to ensure that this heritage remains accessible for generations to come.”

“This development is key in ensuring that our research efforts are recognised through securing ownership programme of our data. As an indigenous community this is a great step in dissemination of our cultural heritage and publicising our situation”, remarked Mr. Kiiza Wilson, the Executive Director of Bugungu Heritage and Cultural Information Centre.

The anticipated outcomes of this partnership include advancements in the digital archiving of Africa’s cultural and indigenous heritage. We hope to achieve a lasting impact by developing innovative solutions that enhance the visibility and accessibility of these critical knowledge systems, setting new standards for their preservation and integration into the global research landscape.

About the Africa PID Alliance
The Africa PID Alliance is dedicated to securing the future of African innovation, indigenous knowledge, and cultural heritage. Through the provision of reliable open research infrastructure services, the alliance enables access to knowledge and metadata about digital objects, with a strong emphasis on Africa’s unique contributions to global research.
For more information on APA visit: https://africapidalliance.org/

About Bugungu Heritage and Information Centre
Bugungu Heritage and Information Centre, established in 2013, is a community-based organization committed to the protection, promotion, and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Bagungu people. Located in Western Uganda, the Centre is dedicated to ensuring that the cultural heritage, environment, and human rights of the Bagungu community are preserved and respected.