The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has declared Mulanje Mountain a World Heritage Site.
This means the mountain is a site of outstanding international importance and therefore deserves special protection.
The declaration came Friday during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee meeting at Unesco Headquarters, currently underway in Paris, France.
Upon the announcement, there was jubilation and raising of Malawi’s flag by a section of delegates to the meeting.
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This designation underscores the mountain’s exceptional natural value and importance to global biodiversity.
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Executive Director of the Coordination Union for Rehabilitation of the Environment (Cure), Charles Mkoka, has welcomed the designation, describing it as “a timely and positive development”.
“This is a significant achievement, especially as we observe the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
“As Cure, we are thrilled with this recognition and the opportunity it brings for enhanced conservation efforts,” Mkoka said.
The World Heritage Committee, consisting of representatives from 21 states elected from the 195 countries party to the Unesco Convention for the Protection of the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage, is responsible for assessing proposals for new World Heritage sites and monitoring the conservation status of existing ones.
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The committee convenes annually to discuss and implement strategies for the protection of the world’s most significant cultural and natural sites.
The declaration of Mulanje Mountain comes at a time conservationists say proposals for bauxite mining in the area threaten to compromise the integrity of the ecosystem within this biosphere reserve.
The mountain is known for its rich biodiversity, unique flora and fauna, and cultural significance to local communities.
The World Heritage listing is expected to strengthen the efforts to safeguard Mulanje Mountain’s environment, providing a greater platform for conservation advocacy and support from the global community.
It also aligns with the broader objectives of preserving the world’s most critical ecosystems, ensuring they remain protected for future generations.
In February 2025, government formally submitted a comprehensive application to Unesco Headquarters for their consideration to list Mt Mulanje as a cultural World Heritage Site.
The granting of the status is an acknowledgement of the outstanding universal value of both the cultural and natural heritage of Mulanje Mountain.
“Revered as a sacred place inhabited by gods, spirits, and ancestors, it holds deep cultural and spiritual significance,” reads a description on Unesco website.
It adds: “The mountain’s geological and hydrological features are connected with the belief systems and cultural practices of the Yao, Mang’anja, and Lhomwe peoples.
“These communities have sustained the mountain’s sacredness through rituals and traditions, making the site a sacred cultural landscape that reflects the spiritual and ecological harmony between people and nature.”
In 2000, Unesco also nominated Mulanje Mountain as a Man and Biosphere Reserve, highlighting its biodiversity richness and its connection to human livelihood.
