The French government is donating 661,300 euros to Tanzania to help preserve several 12th century Arab and Portuguese ruins, according to the French Embassy in Dar es Salaam.

The ruins, in the south-eastern district of Kilwa, have been on UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 1981 and include a Portuguese fort, several mansions and mosques.

A spokesperson at the embassy said the beneficiaries of the project will be educational institutions and museums in France and Tanzania: “The grant will help strengthen the national research capacity in history, archaeology, sociology, ethnology and culture through training, studies and inventory of existing archives.”