Kenya has launched a new initiative to unlock the potential of cultural tourism, which has historically been overshadowed by wildlife tourism. The program, dubbed Professional and Scientific Training for the Development of Cultural Tourism, aims to empower young professionals and communities to harness the country's rich archaeological and heritage sites.

• The initiative, coordinated by Dr. Emmanuel Ndiema of the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), is a three-year program running from 2025 to 2028.
• It is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), with a budget of Sh45 million.
• Sapienza University of Rome professors will train 15 participants annually, totaling 45 graduates, focusing on Nairobi, Turkana, and Marsabit counties.
• The program emphasizes mapping and promoting ancient sites, including over 4,000-year-old rock art sites and hominid fossil locations, to boost local economies.
• Prof. Mary Gikungu, Director-General of NMK, highlighted the urgency of documentation and digitization due to environmental threats to archaeological sites in the Rift Valley.