Also known as: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation · Unesco National Office · Unesco Southern Africa · United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCO — international organization supporting education monitoring, cultural heritage digitization, music industry research, language preservation, and world heritage nominations in Namibia.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
New Era
UNESCO is providing support for finalising copyright regulations
“Authorities are working with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) to finalise the regulations, with support from Unesco.”
Artists call for fairness in the NAMAsThe Namibian
UNESCO had Lake Malawi recognized as a World Heritage site
“To safeguard Lake Malawi, Africa's third-largest lake, we protected key areas by having them recognised as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation World Heritage site.”
Why the High Seas Treaty Matters for EveryoneInformanté
UNESCO listed in 2015 Omagongo as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
“The unified annual festival was introduced on the recommendation of Founding President Sam Nujoma in 2001 and was initially limited to the eight traditional communities of Aawambo, but has gradually morphed into a national event attended by people from all corners of the country and, in 2015, was listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”
Preparations for the Omagongo Festival are underwayThe Namibian
UNESCO proclaimed International Mother Language Day on 21 February to promote linguistic and cultural diversity
“It was proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to promote linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingualism and inclusive education.”
Language advocates warn English risks cultural lossNew Era
UNESCO receives nomination dossier for Dâures/Brandberg national monument world heritage status
“Rudolf Gaiseb Education minister Sanet Steenkamp this week announced the submission of a nomination dossier to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) for the Dâures/Brandberg national monument to become recognised as a world heritage site.”
Brandberg’s Unesco heritage application submittedThe Namibian
UNESCO expected to decide on world heritage site status by July 2027
“The ministry is awaiting the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's world heritage sitw committee's decision, which is expected by July 2027.”
Dâures/Brandberg monument could become world heritage siteThe Namibian
UNESCO held Intergovernmental Special Committee meeting to draft Recommendation on Ethics of Neurotechnology in Paris
“It is within this context that Namibia actively participated in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Intergovernmental Special Committee meeting to draft the Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology, held in Paris this year.”
Neurotechnology: Promise, Periland the Need for Ethical GuardrailsThe Namibian
UNESCO hosted the inaugural Tech Diplomacy Forum in Paris
“On 18 June, I had the honour of representing Namibia at the inaugural Tech Diplomacy Forum, convened at the Unesco headquarters in Paris.”
Africa Must Shape the Global Digital Rules, Not Merely Absorb ThemThe Namibian
UNESCO entered Witbooi's three journals into the 'Memory of the World' register
The Namibian
UNESCO supported the initiative and seminar by African journalists
“"Without the blessing of the then president, the initiative and seminar by African journalists, who were supported by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, under the title of 'promoting an independent and pluralistic African press', would not have been possible," the EFN stated.”
Editors’ forum lauds Nujoma as press freedom championUNESCO's 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report finds Namibia commits 9.1% of GDP to education with a highly qualified teaching workforce, but the country struggles to keep learners in school beyond primary level. Pre-primary access improved significantly, with 93% net enrolment of five-year-olds in 2024, up from 72% in 2015.
4 October 2026 · Informanté →
UNESCO's 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report finds Namibia commits 9.1% of GDP to education with a highly qualified teaching workforce, but the country struggles to keep learners in school beyond primary level. Pre-primary access improved significantly, with 93% net enrolment of five-year-olds in 2024, up from 72% in 2015.
4 October 2026 · Informanté →
Namibia has officially launched the National Artificial Intelligence Institute to boost research, local innovation, youth skills development, and digital public service transformation. The institute comprises a software development centre, datasets centre, AI innovation centre, and research and development centre, and aims to develop national capabilities to understand, adapt, and develop AI solutions locally.
27 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Jacky Kaputu, a tourism innovation and development student, completed an internship in reservations at Gondwana Collection Namibia and was hired as a permanent team member after six months, drawn by the company's values around sustainability and responsible tourism.
19 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian government has set a target of 3.5% sport contribution to the employment sector under the sixth National Development Plan, with the education and sport minister noting the previous 2% target under the fifth plan was not yet fully realised. The ministry allocated N$327 022 000 towards sport development and promotion.
18 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Dino Ballotti called for entrepreneurship to take centre stage in Namibia's economic agenda, arguing that the country cannot achieve meaningful economic diversification by relying solely on traditional industries. He said Namibia must identify new opportunities and create pathways for young people to participate in the economy.
31 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Gangs and militants in north-western Nigeria are carrying out kidnappings and armed raids that have killed scores and displaced an estimated 800,000 people, according to the UN. Residents describe coordinated attacks by motorcyclists who strike quickly and vanish before security forces can respond.
27 August 2026 · The Namibian →
More than 30 rare Newa manuscripts dating back 200 to 800 years have been digitised and made openly accessible online through a UNESCO-supported project in partnership with Archive Nepal and the Government of Japan. UNESCO has undertaken similar efforts in Namibia, providing digitisation equipment to the National Archives of Namibia in 2025 to preserve historical collections including the Maharero Papers.
15 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Witbooi Legacy Project was launched at Gibeon in the Hardap region to preserve the heritage, values and legacy of the Witbooi family and provide community outreach programmes. The project, founded by Olga Witbooi, Faith Witbooi-Olibile and Petra Peterson, seeks to honour Captain Hendrik Witbooi, a Nama chief who led resistance against German colonial rule and is regarded as one of Namibia's national heroes.
11 August 2026 · The Namibian →
First gentleman Denga Ndaitwah has advocated for an inclusive approach to gender equality, arguing that empowerment of women and girls and the well-being of boys are not competing priorities. Speaking at a fundraising gala of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development in Angola, he said men and women are mutually inclusive partners and cited global data showing boys lagging in education and facing crises in mental health and social development.
31 July 2026 · The Namibian →
First gentleman Denga Ndaitwah has called for an inclusive approach to gender equality, arguing that empowering women and girls and addressing the well-being of boys are complementary rather than competing priorities. He cited global data showing that 132 million primary and secondary age boys are out of school worldwide and proposed renaming the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development to include male spouses.
31 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian reports that Namibia's traditional music communities are systematically excluded from commercial benefits when their ancestral songs and rituals are recorded and licensed by outsiders, receiving minimal compensation while those with recording equipment profit from their heritage.
18 July 2026 · The Namibian →
A musician argues that Namibian performers recorded by the South West African Broadcasting Corporation before independence received no payment for their work and continue to receive nothing, since the broadcaster failed to properly document their names and details, leaving royalties uncollected when recordings are logged as 'unknown' in the Nascam system.
11 July 2026 · The Namibian →
A two-year Nascam-UNESCO partnership will invest N$1.7 million into research, copyright reform, and digital innovation in Namibia's music industry. The initiative will map the music sector across all 14 regions, establish a national evidence base, develop an online copyright platform, and support copyright education and policy dialogue.
9 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibia Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam) held its annual general meeting on 27 June, where Joseph Ailonga (Jossy Joss) retained his position, and the organisation secured a N$1.5m UNESCO grant.
3 July 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The Omagongo Cultural Festival, themed "Roots of Our Unity, Seeds for Our Future," will be held on 23 May at the traditional homestead of Chief Herman Iipumbu in the Omusati Region. The festival celebrates marula wine and culture, and has been held annually since 2001, rotating among eight Ovawambo traditional authorities.
13 May 2026 · Informanté →
Former Namibian editor Gwen Lister has urged the government to urgently operationalise Namibia's Access to Information Act, signed in 2022 but not yet in effect, warning that delays are exposing journalists to growing legal and digital harassment amid increasing global threats against the media.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Institute for Public Policy Research has warned that financial pressure and digital disruption are weakening Namibia's media sector, calling for funding models such as grants, public interest funds, and tax incentives to sustain quality reporting, as well as transparent advertising policies from government and state-owned enterprises.
5 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
David Mandume Alfeus, who teaches English, Oshikwanyama, and ICT at Pahangwashimwe Combined School while pursuing a Master's in Educational Technology, believes teaching is a lifelong mission rooted in passion and commitment to using technology and mentorship to help learners succeed. He advocates for strengthening public-private partnerships and aligning Namibia's education system with global standards to address resource gaps in schools.
17 April 2026 · New Era →
Namibian artists have called for fair prize structures, better professional support, and financial literacy training as the government consults on reviving the Namibia Annual Music Awards, which were discontinued in 2020. The Arts Directorate is also advancing an updated copyright law to protect musicians and other creatives in the digital age.
23 March 2026 · New Era →
The High Seas Treaty, which establishes the first-ever framework to create marine-protected areas on the high seas covering nearly two-thirds of the ocean, has come into force. Malawi became the first landlocked country to ratify the treaty in February 2025, emphasizing that ocean stewardship belongs to all countries regardless of proximity to the sea, as healthy oceans are essential for global food security, climate stability, and carbon absorption.
13 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The omagongo (marula wine) season begins in early February, culminating in the annual Omagongo Cultural Festival in May, hosted on rotation by eight Ovawambo traditional authorities. UNESCO recognized the festival in 2015 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
6 March 2026 · Informanté →
Speaking at the International Mother Language Day observance in Windhoek, language advocates urged local leaders to communicate more frequently in indigenous languages, warning that relying on English risks excluding communities from public engagement and causing cultural loss. The Unesco representative noted that nearly 40% of the global population lack access to education in their mother tongue, and urged Namibia to prioritise mother-tongue education given that about 70% of the population is under 35.
23 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp announced the submission of a nomination dossier for the Dâures/Brandberg national monument in the Erongo region to become a Unesco World Heritage Site, with a decision expected by July 2027. The site, a 135-million-year-old granitic inselberg containing rare archaeological traces and rock art, is expected to boost tourism, create jobs, and foster research if approved.
16 February 2026 · New Era →
Namibia has officially submitted a nomination dossier for the Dâures/Brandberg national monument area to be added to UNESCO's world heritage list, with the committee's decision expected by July 2027. The site, located in the Erongo region, is an ecological 'sky island' with over 900 rock art sites spanning 5,000 years of cultural history and featuring endemic species found nowhere else on earth.
11 February 2026 · The Namibian →