Museum Outreach Programme concludes
The Goethe-Institut and the University of Namibia hosted the closing event of the Museum Outreach Programme last week.Funded by the European Union with around N$4 million and the Goethe-Institut with about N$1.3 million and jointly implemented by the Goethe-Institut Namibia and UNAM over a period of 46 months, the project strengthened civil society and cultural diversity in Namibia through social cohesion, inter-ethnic dialogue, and cultural tolerance.
“The important achievements under the project include among others the strengthening of cultural rights in particularly of marginalised and indigenous communities,” H.E. Ana-Beatriz Martins, EU Ambassador to Namibia, emphasised in her remarks.
She pointed out that strengthening community-based museums “empowers local communities and indigenous minorities to express their culture, preserve their traditions and provide a sense of belonging and the opportunity to explore their roots”.
Three pillars
Dennis Schroeder, Director of the Goethe-Institut Namibia, highlighted three pillars the initiative focused on to transform Namibia’s museums and heritage sector, which included transforming community-based museums into interactive spaces, empowering local community-based museums into interactive spaces, empowering local communities and indigenous minorities through conservation training, and professionalizing heritage practitioners.
From UNAM’s side, Executive Dean Prof Alfons Mosimande, pointed out that the Museum Outreach Programme “laid the foundation for a university museum programme that will serve as a beacon of knowledge and cultural preservation”.
Concluding EU Ambassador to Namibia encouraged Namibians to support and cherish the invaluable community-based and community-run museums. “Let us continue visit, volunteer, and engage with them, ensuring that our rich tapestry of cultures and traditions remains intact and thrives.”