Ndossi Village distinguished by ICESCO
Ndossi Village has just reached a significant milestone. The Gabonese project has been recognized as one of the top five projects in its category at the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Khurshidbanu Natavan Heritage Excellence Awards. This international recognition reinforces our vision: to combine nature conservation, culture, and community development.
International recognition for a Gabonese initiative
On May 4, 2026, in Rabat, ICESCO, in partnership with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, awarded Ndossi Village a Certificate of Recognition as part of the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Khurshidbanu Natavan Heritage Excellence Award . Ndossi Village is presented as "A Living Laboratory of Ancestral Medicine and Ecology" and is among the top five projects in its category. This distinction demonstrates that an initiative born in Gabon, rooted in our realities, environment, and traditions, can be internationally recognized as a source of innovation.
A pilot project focused on national parks
Located within the Akanda National Park, Ndossi Village is conceived as a pilot project for community development centered around national parks . Our goal is to test a model that combines biodiversity protection, ecotourism, traditional knowledge, youth training, culture, and the creation of local economic activities. Our ambition therefore goes beyond that of a simple tourist village: we want to demonstrate that forest preservation can also become a sustainable source of development for communities living near protected areas.
Making communities allies of conservation
Gabon boasts exceptional natural heritage and a significant network of national parks. We believe the next step must strengthen the participation of local communities in their preservation. A forest is better protected when local populations also see economic, cultural, and social benefits in its conservation. Ecotourism, sustainable artisanal fishing, vocational training, crafts, cultural promotion, and plant studies can thus create opportunities while simultaneously strengthening ecosystem protection. Conservation can then become a development opportunity rather than simply a constraint.
An outstretched hand to the Gabonese state
This international recognition is encouraging, but Ndossi Village remains an experiment built with limited resources and a great deal of commitment. Today, we wish to reach out to the Gabonese government so that it can support, evaluate, and help structure this experiment. We hope to gradually work with the institutions responsible for national parks, the environment, culture, research, youth, training, and tourism. Ndossi Village does not want to develop independently of the government. We want to build with it. This international recognition can be an opportunity to transform a local initiative into an experiment that benefits the entire country.
Ndossi, a living laboratory
The expression used by ICESCO perfectly summarizes our ambition: to make Ndossi Village a living laboratory of ancestral medicine and ecology . A space where communities, scientists, doctors, botanists, researchers, artists, entrepreneurs, and institutions can meet to experiment, document, and share knowledge. A place where traditional knowledge engages in dialogue with contemporary science and tools, while allowing communities to participate directly in the creation of knowledge and value.
Towards a reproducible model
Our vision extends beyond Ndossi Village. Gabon has thirteen national parks, each with its own communities, cultures, and realities. Ndossi could serve as a testing ground for gradually developing a Gabonese approach to community development around protected areas . What works can be documented, improved, and then, where relevant, adapted to other territories in Gabon and the Congo Basin.
Recognition and responsibility
Being selected as one of the top five projects of the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Khurshidbanu Natavan Heritage Excellence Award is a great source of pride, but also a responsibility. We must now continue developing the project, measure its impact, protect community knowledge, and strengthen our scientific and institutional partnerships. We thank ICESCO, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and all the people and communities who contribute to the vitality of Ndossi Village.
And we extend a simple invitation to our country's institutions: come and see what we are building, come and evaluate it, and come and help us improve it. Because the major public policies of tomorrow can sometimes begin with a local experiment that we decide to give a chance.
Let's make Ndossi Village a Gabonese pilot project serving communities, our heritage and the sustainable protection of our national parks.
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