Cooperation with Namibia National Commission for UNESCO

Estonian and Namibia National Commissions for UNESCO started cooperation in 2023 in the field of creative economy connecting the themes of living heritage, education, innovation, digital transformation, and youth. A short overview of the cooperation can be found here.

Two projects have formed the core of the cooperation:

  • Developing heritage-based digital skills and entrepreneurship in Namibia (September-December 2023)
  • Developing heritage-based digital skills and entrepreneurship in Namibia through curriculum enhancement (June 2024-March 2025)

The projects bring together different sectors and are led by NGO Creative Estonia in collaboration with Estonian and Namibia National Commissions for UNESCO, UNESCO Windhoek Office, University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy, and starting from 2024 University of Namibia. Private sector experts of creative economy and digitalization contribute with their insight and expertise. The projects are funded in large part by the Estonian Centre for International Development – ESTDEV.

Within these projects the main events were:

  • 30.10-01.11.2023. Creative Entrepreneurship Academy 2023 in Windhoek on the preservation and digitalization of cultural heritage. The Academy consisted of a high-level conference aimed at local policymakers, heritage custodians, and developers, followed by a hackathon for youth to support sustainable development through the promotion of heritage-based creative entrepreneurship.
  • 14.-17.08.2024. Creative Entrepreneurship Academy 2024 in Windhoek on the role of education in preserving and digitizing cultural heritage. The Academy consisted of a high-level conference followed by a world-café format workshop to motivate higher and vocational education institutions to incorporate digital skills and entrepreneurial capabilities rooted in heritage into their curricula. In addition to the conference and world café worksop, a two-day training of trainers’ workshop took place in UNAM by University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy.
  • In October 2024, a delegation from Namibia National Commission for UNESCO and University of Namibia visited Estonia to strengthen the collaboration between partners, learn more about Estonia’s cultural heritage and creative industries. The visit included meeting at the Ministry of Culture, attending the Viljandi Heritage Festival, organized by the Viljandi Culture Academy, and exploring the UNESCO Chair at the University of Tartu as well as the National Archives of Estonia.
  • 5.-6.03.2025. The hackathon “Hack the Heritage, Growing Digital” took place in Windhoek. Participants from different generations and regions took part in the event. A total of 13 ideas were developed under the guidance of Estonian and local experts.

The events were always accompanied by follow-up online sessions and correspondence.

Inspired by the events and to support the cooperation between Estonian and Namibian organisations, the Secretary-General of the Estonian Ministry of Culture, Ms Kristiina Alliksaar, was on an official visit to Namibia in March 2025. During the visit, the Secretary-General had meetings with the Ministry of ICT and Namibia Film Commission, the Ministry of Higher Education and Innovation and Namibia National Commission for UNESCO, presented at the Estonia-Namibia CCI roundtable at the NIPDB (Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board) with a focus on film and digitalisation, and opened the hackathon co-organized by Namibian and Estonian partners.

In addition to the cooperation in the field of creative economy, a project on living heritage in Estonia, eSwatini and Namibia ASPnet schools was implemented by Estonian, eSwatini and Namibia National Commissions in 2023. The project and its outcomes were, among other, introduced at the side event of the three National Commissions at the ICH committee meeting in Botswana in December 2023.

The first years of cooperation with Namibian colleagues have been successful and we hope that the cooperation will continue and become longterm between organisations in Estonia and Namibia, that are active in the fields of heritage, creative economy and education.

Contact: Madli Kumpas, Coordinator of Education and Science Programme (International Cooperation for Development), madli.kumpas@kul.ee.