ABOUT AHCN
The African Heritage Collaborative Network (AHCN) is a membership organisation which brings together organisations and individuals dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and development of African heritage in the Midlands, UK and beyond, into a network.
The Network offers a collaborative space and platform in which heritage practitioners, organisations, and communities to connect, engage and become better informed about African Heritage, its preservation and how it can be shared with the wider public.
As a network, we exist to contribute our community knowledge and expertise to work strategically and holistically across sectors. The overall aim is for the African Heritage to be economically viable and sustainable within heritage organisations across the UK.
Collectively, we aim to elevate African Cultural Heritage to gain the recognition, respect and engagement to enrich life and develop inclusion in daily life and human societies.
Our Mission
As a network, AHCN has multiple aims which include:
To create a collaborative and democratic platform for African heritage organisations, professionals and stakeholders engaged in the sector.
To build a sense of community & collaboration: Strengthening networks of African heritage practitioners to foster peer support, coaching, mentorship, shared learning and collective impact.
To encourage Knowledge-sharing & Empowerment: Ensuring accessibility to resources, expertise, coaching, learning exchanges, and mentorship within the African heritage community.
To advocate for the visibility, sustainability, and influence of African heritage and culture.
To engage across diverse sectors, including organisations that are led by people of African origin who address systemic inequality.
-
Involving the preservation, promotion, and protection of cultural traditions, arts, language, music, and literature unique to African communities.
-
Engaging with historical documents, oral histories, and other sources to accurately document and share the history of African peoples and nations.
-
Creating educational programs and materials to teach others about African heritage, including schools, universities, and public outreach.
-
Promoting heritage sites and cultural experiences to attract tourists, thereby supporting local economies and raising awareness of African heritage.
-
Managing collections of artifacts, artworks, documents, and other materials that reflect African heritage, and ensuring their preservation for future generations.
-
Empowering communities through heritage-related projects that foster social cohesion, identity, and pride.
-
Integrating digital technology to enhance the preservation and promotion of African heritage.
Values
-
AHCN upholds principles of equality, equity and diversity, inclusivity in all that AHCN does in its work.
-
Operating transparently, with clear governance structures and ethical practices in financial and operational management.
-
Works strategically and manages its operations effectively through working groups to research, define, prepare and progress work plans for consultation and approval by the Strategic Team, with regular updates and annual reporting to members.
-
AHCN strives for Excellence & Innovation, encouraging high-quality cultural work that pushes creative and heritage boundaries while preserving and celebrating traditional knowledge and practices.