The Race to Resilience Culture

The Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC) initiative, led by the U.S. Office and Africa Secretariat of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), aims to enhance climate resilience through the integration of cultural and heritage-based strategies within communities in the United States and Africa.

The Race to Resilience Culture Academy

The Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC) Academy (April–October 2026) is a 6-month global learning opportunity for communities ready to advance climate resilience by centering culture, heritage, and local knowledge in adaptation planning. Led by ICLEI USA and ICLEI Africa, the Academy builds on the groundbreaking U.S.–Africa RTRC cohort and will engage 45 additional cities worldwide through flexible, low-burden online learning and four live peer-exchange sessions.

Participants will gain practical tools, case studies, and templates rooted in real local government experience, exploring topics such as equitable community engagement, Traditional and Indigenous knowledge, nature-based solutions, the built environment, and creative climate storytelling. The Academy offers a supportive space to learn from global peers, strengthen equity-centered resilience strategies, and elevate local leadership through the Race to Resilience campaign.

Interested in joining this global community of practice? Learn More Here.

Applications are now open until Friday, March 13, 2026.

Academy Info Session:

We will provide an overview of the RTRC Academy and timeline, walk through the application, and hold time for Q&A.

U.S. Participants: Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 3:30 PM ET

African Participants: Tuesday, February 17, 2026. 3:00 PM SAST.

The Race to Resilience Culture Reports

The Race to Resilience Culture

The Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC): Amplifying Culture-Based Climate Resilience on the Global Stage

ICLEI USA and ICLEI Africa are advancing the Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC) initiative, helping cities demonstrate how culture, heritage, and creativity strengthen climate resilience.

The Race to Resilience Culture

The Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC): Normalizing the Inclusion of Culture in Climate Action

ICLEI USA and ICLEI Africa are advancing the Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC) initiative, helping cities show how culture, heritage, and creativity can strengthen climate

The Race to Resilience Culture

The Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC): Cohort Launch Report

What if climate resilience started with culture? ICLEI USA and ICLEI Africa are helping cities explore that question through the Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC)

Background

Spearheaded by the U.S. Office and Africa Secretariat of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), RTRC seeks to build climate resilience by integrating cultural and heritage-based strategies into communities across the United States and Africa. Backed by the Climate Heritage Network (CHN) and funded through The Mellon Foundation, ICLEI draws on its expertise as the first and largest global network of over 2,500 local and regional governments committed to addressing the world’s most challenging sustainability issues.

The RTRC initiative aims to support historically underserved communities in becoming more resilient to climate risks through culture, heritage, and the arts. To meet this goal, by 2026, the initiative will mobilize 75 cities to commit to enhancing culture-based actions for climate resilience and adaptation, with measurable progress reported along the way. The inaugural RTRC cohort includes 31 communities across the U.S. and Africa. Additional cities will have the opportunity to learn the best practices and outcomes through the RTRC Academy, coming in 2026.

Culture and Heritage Advocates at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo Credit: Climate Heritage Network.

Program Overview

Benefits to Participants

✔️Training and Support: A comprehensive 12 month cohort program on culture and climate resilience, free of charge.

✔️Peer-to-Peer Learning: U.S. and African cities will be paired for knowledge sharing and cross-cultural dialogue.

✔️ Focus on Equity: Advance inclusive solutions and amplify the voices of underrepresented and historically underserved communities to ensure no one is left behind.

✔️ Global Leadership: Showcase your community as a regional and global leader in resilience through cultural innovation.

Core Focus Areas

RTRC focuses on

Supporting underserved communities by engaging public bodies and cultural organizations in CHBS initiatives.
Centering resilience-building within cultural heritage programs.
Normalizing the integration of culture in climate planning efforts.