About – CDEA

About Us

Who we Are

CDEA is a creative think tank in the coastal city of Dar es Salaam, where science meets art, and art meets other disciplines to innovate “out-of-the-box” solutions for this and the coming generation.

Our work locates the youth and women at the centre of conversations and livelihoods around sustainability with a focus on the three pillars namely: creative economy, social justice and climate action.

Our History

CDEA was conceived after one of its directors, who in her capacity as a member the Commonwealth Group on Culture and Development, participated in drafting the Commonwealth Statement on Culture and Development in 2009, and realized there was need for a civil society organization to hold the East African partner states accountable for the promises they were making at international platforms on culture and development.

The statement urged Heads of Government, to recognize the connections between culture and development to take forward its recommendations through strengthened partnerships.

CDEA was incorporated on October 19, 2011 and began its implementation in 2012 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. CDEA’s Culture and Governance programme was formed to respond to the need for civil society to engage in participatory governance. CDEA’s programme activities aim to mobilize and support civil society in East Africa to participate in evidence-based policy advocacy to place culture at the centre of human development.

In 2015, after a strategic planning process, CDEA embraced both its advocacy and service provider roles. CDEA is now a creative think tank based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania that facilitates multi-stakeholders to use culture as a resource to promote creativity and innovation supported by technology to solve the numerous economic, social and environmental challenges.

International, Continental and regional Instruments

CDEA’s creative economy work is aligned to the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity Cultural Expressions. In 2022, CDEA received Observer Status of the UNESCO governing bodies on the 2005 Convention. CDEA’s social justice work is guided by Universal Human Rights Declaration. In 2018, CDEA received consultative status from the the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). CDEA’s work around cities, climate and cultural heritage is guided by the sustainable building and living principles, as well as the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

At Continental level, CDEA’s work on cultural governance and climate action is guided by African Union’s Agenda 2063, The Charter for African Cultural Renaissance (2006) and Revised AU Plan of Action for Cultural and Creative Industries (2008)

At regional level, Tanzania belongs to two Regional Economic Communities (RECs) namely: the East Africa Community (EAC) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Both REC provide an opportunity for trade in goods and services supported by common market protocols. Furthermore, the National Cultural Policy of Tanzania, 1997 that is in the process of review, places emphasis of promoting the arts and crafts, cultural heritage management, cultural and environmental conservation, which is instrumental in enhancing eco-existence between humans and the environment.

Our Vision & Mission

CDEA’s vision since its inception has been to see:

“An East African Community where Culture is at the Centre of Development”.

To achieve this vision, CDEA’s mission is;

“To support multi-stakeholders’ to use culture, creativity and ICTs as resources to stimulate the creative economy, achieve social justice and environmental balance within the East African Community”.

Sustainable Development Goals

Goals, Targes and Programs

Goals	Targets	Programs
Goal 3	Target 3.1,3.2,3.3, 3.4: Reduce child & mother mortality, HIV and promote mental health and wellbeing.	CDEA digital productions
Goal 4	Target 4.4: Increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship	CDEA’s Creative Economy Incubator (film, fashion and accessories, music)
Goal 5	Target 5.9:Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular ICTs, to promote the empowerment of women	Binti Longa radio program & Binti Longa Gender Forum
Goal 8 & Goal 11	Target 8.9: Devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products. Target 11c. Building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local.	Kigamboni Eco Sanaa Village

Goals	Targets	Programs
Goal 9	Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research by encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending	CDEA’s research on culture and development
Goal 10	Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality	Studies to support policymaking for the promotion artistic rights and decent work in the culture and creative economy
Goal 13 & Goal 14	Target 13.3:Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning Indicators Target 14.1: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution	Mpiga Debe radio program & CDEA digital productions

Board of Directors

Godfrey
Madaraka Nyerere

Chairman

Godfrey Madaraka Nyerere has more than 20-years’ experience promoting cultural tourism from the village of Butiama, in north-eastern Tanzania and within the Northern Tourism Circuit of the country. Butiama is the birthplace and burial location of Tanzania’s founding president, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere. Madaraka is the founder of Butiama Cultural Tourism Enterprise (BCTE), a community-based organization focused on promoting the historical legacy of Mwalimu Nyerere, and the cultural heritage of the Zanaki ethnic group.