Windhoek: Namibia, in conjunction with the National Heritage Council and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), will host the World Heritage Digital Technology workshop from 03-06 June 2025 in Windhoek. The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC) announced in a media statement on Friday that the three-day workshop will address a variety of challenges faced by World Heritage Sites.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Namibia is home to two World Heritage Sites: Twyfelfontein World Heritage Site and Namib Sand Sea World Heritage. The statement highlighted issues such as insufficient documentation and management, climate change, uncontrolled urban expansion, illicit activities, conflicts, and trafficking as challenges impacting these sites.
The workshop is set to bring together around 40 participants, including world heritage site managers, heritage experts, mentees of the World Heritage Mentorship Programme, and scholars. The aim is to explore how emerging digital tools and innovative technologies can strengthen conservation and management practices at world heritage sites.
Additionally, the event aims to foster the establishment of a community of practice, encouraging regional cooperation and the exchange of best practices among professionals engaged in the preservation and promotion of World Heritage in Africa. Supported by the Belgium government, the workshop will provide an opportunity to build capacities to harness emerging technologies for conservation. Attendees are expected to gain experience in innovative technologies, enhancing risk assessment, monitoring, and public engagement abilities with activities such as theoretical sessions and field demonstrations.
A similar event, The World Heritage Futures Lab: Southern and Eastern Africa Edition, was previously held in Windhoek in 2023. It brought together youth, creative technologists, and local community members to reimagine the narrative of World Heritage through digital media.