The Africa Center's ‘Peace and Memory Lab' Initiative Propelled by $900,000 Grant From Carnegie Corporation of New York
Funding to Support Culture and Heritage Protection in Sudan and Other Regions
(New York, NY - January 16, 2026) - The Africa Center, a nonprofit institution committed to the principle that a just and peaceful world begins with a flourishing Africa in deep communion with the diaspora, today announced it was awarded a 36-month grant of $900,000 from Carnegie Corporation of New York.
The funding will be used to support the Peace and Memory Lab, a new initiative to establish culture and heritage protection as a strategic peacebuilding tool. During the initial year of the grant, The Africa Center will focus its activities on Sudan. In years two and three, the organization will expand its initiative to other regions impacted by cultural and heritage threats.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has destroyed lives, displaced millions, and caused destruction to the nation’s cultural heritage, including its sites, museums, and educational institutions. In response, The Africa Center’s Peace and Memory Lab will work to generate collective momentum around culture as a strategic resource, building on proven frameworks where heritage protection has been recognized as integral to international peace and security.
“Attacks on Sudan’s cultural institutions and heritage sites have become a deliberate means of erasing identity and undermining future reconciliation and peacebuilding,” said Ambassador Martin Kimani, President and CEO of The Africa Center. “This has only accelerated the urgent need to preserve Sudan’s history, art, and cultural legacy. We are grateful for this generous grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York and look forward to working towards creating long-term investments to safeguard Sudan’s cultural assets, peacebuilding imperatives, and systems that empower African voices.”
The Peace and Memory Lab’s activities will include the formation of a Sudan Cultural Emergency Group and the publication of the Sudan Heritage Protection Dossier, establishing a civic and evidentiary record of cultural destruction.
The Africa Center’s grant is one of 57 grants recently approved by Carnegie Corporation of New York’s board of trustees, totaling $39 million in support to national and international institutions.
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About The Africa Center
The Africa Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution committed to the principle that a just and peaceful world begins with a flourishing Africa in deep communion with its diaspora. Located in New York City, The Africa Center convenes artists, creatives, cultural leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to shape artistic expression, narratives, investments, and partnerships critical to the prosperous and secure future of Africa and its diaspora.
About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. Today the foundation works to reduce political polarization through philanthropic support for the issues that Carnegie considered most important: education, democracy, and peace.