Awarded to Wazee wa Mazingira council of Elders in Kenya:
The UNESCO-UNESCO-Greece Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes was awarded on 7 November 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on the margins of the 43rd session of UNESCO General Conference.
“Created in 1995, the Prize rewards outstanding examples of action to safeguard and enhance the world’s cultural landscapes — places where the interaction between people and nature tells the story of our shared heritage. Generously supported by the Government of Greece, the Prize bears the name of Melina Mercouri, former Minister of Culture of Greece and a strong advocate of integrated conservation.
The US$30,000 Prize is awarded every two years to one laureate, celebrating exemplary efforts to safeguard living landscapes that reflect the harmony between culture, environment, and community.”
This year it was awarded to the Wazee wa Mzingira elders honouring their enduring leadership in safeguarding and managing the Mount Kulal Biosphere Reserve in northern Kenya. “Nominated as a Biosphere Reserve since 1978 and included on Kenya’s Tentative List for World Heritage since 2023, Mount Kulal was recognised by an International Jury as a model of sustainable coexistence between culture and nature.”
