This symposium brings together a transdisciplinary cohort of scholars, CIFOR-ICRAF researchers, Indigenous peoples, and local community members to analyze forest conservation policies across African ecoregions. By bridging scientific, traditional, and policy-oriented knowledge systems, we explore how legal and institutional frameworks shape - and are shaped by - cultural and socio-ecological power dynamics.

Argument

This hybrid symposium, held at CIFOR-ICRAF Nairobi and online, brings together scholars, CIFOR-ICRAF researchers, Indigenous peoples, and local community members to engage in a transdisciplinary analysis of forest conservation policies and practices across African regions. By bridging scientific, traditional, and policy-oriented knowledge systems, the seminar will explore how legal and institutional frameworks shape - and are shaped by - cultural and socio-ecological power dynamics.

Why this symposium matters

Across Africa, sacred forests, groves, trees, and spiritual landscapes are not only ecological spaces but also living heritage systems shaped by Indigenous worldviews, ecospiritual practices, and complex power relations. This symposium explores how forest policies are influenced by—and can better respond to—colonial legacies, conservation regimes, climate change, armed conflict, and expanding commodity frontiers.

A core focus is the context-dependent understanding of indigeneity as a decolonial and relational approach that challenges rigid top-down definitions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs), highlighting everyday heritage, stewardship, and livelihood practices.

Contributors will critically examine how power dynamics impact on Indigenous worldviews, ecospiritual practices, and forest governance systems. By highlighting the complex interactions among knowledge, belief, and practice across diverse socio-ecological settings, the symposium aims to deepen understanding of custodianship and its implications for heritage-sensitive policies in African contexts. It advances an adaptive, relational governance perspective in which sacred sites, forests, groves, and trees are understood as active agents influencing power relations.

Expected Outcomes

Through collaborative dialogue and shared reflection, the symposium will surface best practices, contribute to bottom-up heritage sensitive policy design across African regions and foster new collaboration.

The momentum will be created to discuss with authors and indigenous scholars the contents of the forthcoming book “Ecospiritual practices in African contexts Power Dynamics, Biocultural Change, and Integrated Landscapes Management” enriching the conclusions and discussion part with multivocal perspectives from practitioners, indigenous and area-based scholars.

Date and Venue

Date: 28th of January, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (EAT)

Venue:  CIFOR-ICRAF Nairobi Campus-Board Room & Online (Hybrid)

Registration

EVENTBRITE ONLINE REGISTRATION LINK Recommended for online participation (please send additional email if you would like to be in presence)

Organizers

Dr. Alessandra Manzini (PLACES Lab; CY University EUTOPIA SIF Project SPIRAL Ifunded by the EUTOPIA SIF alliance (Grant Agreement : 945380), in collaboration with CIFOR-ICRAF (Dr. Sola Phosiso, Prof. Anne Larson, Dr. Richard Sufo) and RESSAC project.

Keynotes

• Lucie Temgoua, ERAIFT
• Prof. Kokou Kouami, University of Lomé

Program

Format: 10-minute presentation + 5-minute Q&A per speaker

Date: 28th of January, 2026

10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (EAT)

10:00–10:20 | Welcome

• Peter Minang, Regional director CIFOR-ICRAF Africa
• Sola Phosiso (CIFOR-ICRAF)

10:20–10:40 | Book Launch Ecospiritual Practices in African Contexts, Alessandra Manzini, (CY Cergy Paris University, EUTOPIA SIF – SPIRAL project) 

Multivocal perspectives from practitioners and scholars

• Alessandra Manzini (CY Cergy Paris University)
• Paula Uimonen (Stockholm University)
• Houria Djoudi (FAO)

10:40–12:30 | Panel 1 – East Africa

• Nelly Masayi (Kibabii University, Kenya) The Role of Eco-spiritual Approaches in the Sustainable Conservation and Management of the Mt. Elgon Forest Ecosystem, Kenya
• Augustina Alvarez (Tanzania) Sacred Forests and Ecospiritual Governance: Enduring Elements of the Pare Worldview in the Kilimanjaro Region
• Rebecca Campbell (KU Leuven) & Paula Uimonen (University of Stockholm) (confirmed) Mangrove Worldings: Ecospiritual Practices and Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Tanzania
• Asma Bile Hirsi, (Independent scholar) Natural Sites and Relational Landscapes in Somalia: Local Community Perspectives on Heritage, Cultural Memory, and Conservation.
• Aster Gebrekirstos (CIFOR-ICRAF) Sacred forests of Ethiopia TBC

Dialogue & Q&A

12:30–13:30 | Lunch

13:30–13:50 | Keynote

• Lucie Temgoua (ERAIFT) Sacralisation, desacralisation and conservation of sacred forests in Central Africa

13:50–15:00 | Panel 2 – Central Africa

Moderator: Richard Sufo, RESSAC project

• Vitalis Pemunta (University of Gothenburg; DR Congo) Indigenous Voices in Sacred Forests: Ecospiritual Practices of the Batwa and Mbuti in Central Africa
• Chapgang Noubactep, Richard Sufo, Tchékoté Hervé (CIFOR-ICRAF Cameroon) Are Sacred Forests Still Sacred?
• Sandrine Uwasere (Rwanda National Herbarium) The Role of the National Herbarium of Rwanda in Documenting and Conserving Sacred Forests
• Runyambo Irakiza (UNILAK–GER, Rwanda) Conservation of Biodiversity: The Case of Buhanga Sacred Forest, Northern Rwanda

Dialogue & Q&A

15:00–15:15 | Coffee Break

15:20–15:40 | Keynote – West Africa

• Kokou Kouami (University of Lomé, Benin) Pratiques écospirituelles et gouvernance bioculturelle des forêts sacrées en Afrique de l’Ouest

15:45–17:45 | Panel 3 – West Africa

• Fodé Soumah (CREDEB, Guinea) Sacralization of Natural Ecosystems: Endogenous Governance of Biodiversity Conservation in Guinea
• Alison Ormsby, PhD (Forest Specialist, Adventure Scientists) (confirmed) A Comparison of Sacred Groves of Sierra Leone and Ghana
• Sambou Clement (Sacred Forest Specialist, Senegal) & Alessandra Manzini (CY Cergy Paris) Gnei-gnei Law and Forest Relational Governance in Diola Cosmoecology
• Oyetayo Oyelowo (Forest Institute of Nigeria) Spirituality, Beliefs and Biodiversity Conservation: Lessons from South-western Nigerian Sacred Groves.

Dialogue & Q&A

18:00–18:20 | Wrap-up

• Alessandra Manzini Lessons learned and reflections toward improved policy design, relational governance, and book discussion

Closing remarks: Anne Larson, Governance Equity and Wellbeing team leads at CGIAR/CIFOR-ICRAF

18:30–19:00 | Nibbles & Networking

The Book Project

Title: Ecospiritual Practices in African Contexts: Power Dynamics, Biocultural Change, and Integrated Landscapes Management
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Editors: Alessandra Manzini, Paula Uimonen, Houria Djoudi

This symposium serves as a critical momentum-builder for the forthcoming volume. The final session will synthesize insights from the day to enrich the book’s conclusions, ensuring it reflects multivocal perspectives from practitioners and Indigenous scholars.