The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk, has called on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to designate historic monuments in the emirate as World Heritage Sites.

The emir made the call on Wednesday during a grand event to commemorate the 2025 International Hausa Day, which was held at the Emirate’s open square, Daura.

The event, which featured cultural exhibitions, was jointly organised by the global Hausa Day movement and the Katsina State History and Culture Bureau.

Faruk identified some of the historical monuments, including the Kusugu Well, the Bayajidda sword, and the Daurama palace, among others.

The traditional ruler also called on the governments of countries with a large number of Hausa speakers to develop deliberate policies to promote the language and culture, thereby preserving it for future generations.

He described Hausa culture as rich and historic, urging native Hausa speakers to continue showcasing it to the world through their clothing, language, and customs.

Speaking, the Director, Katsina State History and Culture Bureau, Dr Kabir Ali, commended UNESCO, the African Union and ECOWAS for recognising and actively participating in International Hausa Day celebrations since 2015.

Ali said the event was celebrated in Daura to respect its place as the cradle of Hausa civilisation, with a call on native and adopted Hausa speakers in Nigeria and 10 other African countries to continue to promote the language and culture.

A member of the organising partners for the event, Abdulbaqi Jari, said this year’s International Hausa Day was celebrated in 24 countries around the world, including the Netherlands.

Jari said the event was shifted to August 25 to specially recognise contributions made to modern Hausa writing by British-German educationist, Hans Fischer, between 1914 and 1925.

He said Hausa language is currently the 11th most spoken language globally and is projected to become the fifth by the year 2050.