Category: CULTURE & TRADITION

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Memorandum of Understanding on the Language Learning Promotion

The Republic of Namibia and the Portuguese Republic signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Language Learning Promotion under the Culture and Education umbrella protocol on the margins of the bilateral political consultations in Lisbon, Portugal.

This agreement builds on successful teaching of Portuguese in Namibian schools since 2011 where some 2000 students have already been learning the language in 26 public schools in 7 political Regions of the country. The new ambition is expand this opportunity to all 14 political regions of Namibia and to all public schools.

Ambassador Albertus Aochamub signed the agreement on behalf of Namibia and Joao Ribeiro de Almeida, President of Camoes Institute for Cooperation and Language on behalf of Portugal.

#bilateralrelations #education #language #opportunity

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Namibia commemorate SADC Liberation Day 23 March 2022

Namibia joins the rest of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to commemorate SADC Liberation Day, on 23 March 2022, in honour of the sons and daughters who sacrificed their lives and paid the ultimate price in the struggle for the political liberation and economic freedom of the Region.

Since 2019, SADC has commemorated March 23 as the day that marked the end of one of the fiercest conventional battles at Cuito Cuanavale in southern Angola, where forces of the apartheid regime in South Africa were defeated, leading to the independence of Namibia and the creation of a non-racial democratic South Africa as well as the consolidation of the independence and sovereignty of Angola.

Thus, it brought to an end, the senseless destruction of economic infrastructure and bloodshed in Southern Africa.

The new chapter of peace and stability was opened, enabling the region to pursue the path of regional integration rather than confrontation. Hence, in commemorating March 23, Liberation Day, we honour the brave sons and daughters of the region and their fellow internationalist fighters who made supreme sacrifice in lighting the flame of freedom and whose blood watered the tree bearing the fruits we enjoy today.

Likewise, we salute the visionary founders of SADC whose foresight of Southern Africa moving towards political liberation has been translated into reality and it is now up to us and future generations to move it forward through the SADC Vision 2050 and the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030; guiding the strategic direction of the Region.

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Germany returning Stone Cross artifact to Namibia

Berlin museum said it is returning the Stone Cross of Cape Cross, a key cultural artifact, to Namibia. The cross, placed on Namibia’s coast by Portuguese explorers in 1486, is a symbol of the country’s colonial past.

The German Historical Museum in Berlin announced that it is returning to Namibia a 15th century artifact known as the Stone Cross of Cape Cross. The country has called for the object’s return since June 2017.

The artifact was originally erected by explorer Diogo Cao in 1486 on the coastline of present-day Namibia to signify Portuguese territorial claims, as well as serve as a navigational marker.  The 1.1 ton, 3.5-meter (11-foot) Stone Cross is emblazoned with the Portuguese coat of arms as well as inscriptions in Portuguese and Latin. Its presence, alongside other such crosses, was so significant as maps at the time. The crosse also gave the coast’s present-day name: Cape Cross.

The restitution planned for August, is a “clear signal that we want words to be followed by deeds.” said Monika Grütters, Germany’s State Secretary for Culture and Media.