In Memoriam: UNESCO Pays Tribute to Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié
It is with deep sadness that UNESCO has learned of the passing of Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié. He passed away on January 15, 2025.
Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié was an eminent researcher and an ardent defender of Africa's tangible and intangible heritage.
Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié was a key figure in heritage preservation and a leader in cultural management in Africa. His unwavering commitment over several decades left an indelible mark on World Heritage and the UNESCO community. His immense contribution led to the recognition of numerous African sites as World Heritage Sites. Thanks to his work as an archaeologist and his passion for World Heritage, many Cameroonian sites have been documented with great scientific rigor. He trained many young professionals in Africa.
Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié dedicated himself early on to the preservation of Cameroon’s cultural heritage, driven by a passion for history and a deep respect for the past. His journey led him to become a leading authority on African heritage, renowned for his scientific rigor and steadfast commitment.
Christophe Mbida Mindzié obtained his Master's degree from the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon (1980) and his doctorate from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (1996) in Belgium. Upon his return to Cameroon, he was appointed Director of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture in 2002. Fourteen years later, he resumed the same position until 2022 at the Ministry of Arts and Culture, before becoming Head of the Department of Arts and Archaeology at the University of Yaoundé 1.
In 2020, he was a founding member of the National Committee of ICOMOS Cameroon, serving as First Vice-President and interim President for nearly a year, during which he presided over the General Assembly of the Committee just weeks before his passing. He was a member of the Steering Committee of the Africa 2009 program, where he contributed to the structuring of the Directorate of Cultural Heritage within the Ministry of Arts and Culture and played a key role in training many Cameroonian and African professionals. He also prepared and coordinated all nomination dossiers for Cameroon’s World Heritage inscriptions. Additionally, he contributed to the preparation of the nomination dossier for Mbanza Kongo, Vestiges of the Capital of the former Kingdom of Kongo in Angola, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017. He is the author of numerous publications on tangible and intangible cultural heritage and has directed several doctoral theses.