Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

National archives strengthen ties with German peer

Home National National archives strengthen ties with German peer
National archives strengthen ties with German peer

Jaenique Swartz 

 

The National Archives of Namibia will continue strengthening existing ties with the Landesarchiv Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany, fostering joint efforts to preserve archival material. 

The archive institution, alongside its German counterpart, hosted a two-day training workshop this week to provide education on the significance of preservation, conservation of records and restoration practices about our historical archives. 

This continued partnership between the two archives can be traced back to 2020. Their agreement is in place until 31 December 2024. 

“Three years later, we can say with relief and a little pride that we achieved a great deal together. A functional restoration centre has been set up here, and the new archival boxes here in the national archives permanently secure the archival material,” said Professor Wolfgang Zimmermann, the director of Landesarchiv. 

“It seems particularly important to me that we have learned a lot from each other – about Namibia and Germany, about the work opportunities in our archives, but also about the painful period of genocide against the Herero and Nama by the German colonial troops in the early 20th century. In that sense, we hope that our cooperation can contribute to a good, shared future of Germany and Namibia.”

The workshop kicked off with an in-house training for the National Archives of Namibia (NAN) staff, which started on 30 October in addition to several trainings, site visits to the archives in Germany and donations of acid-free boxes to the NAN. 

Gerald Vries, executive deputy director of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, reiterated the existing notion of the importance of preserving the materials in the archives. 

“Preservation of records has become more critical in today’s digital age, where information has become more accessible than ever, yet the vulnerability of records remains a concern. Today, we have volumes of records that are born digital, and we are no longer only talking about archival records on the shelves, but we are also talking about records managed through various systems and platforms. 

“As such, there is a need for better records management systems for us to ensure vital records are preserved for continuity of business and future generations,” he said.  

Vries then moved to thank the staff members and everyone involved for their dedication to preserving it, as it is part of the nation’s legacy. 

“Your devotion to maintaining our archives is an investment in our nation’s culture and educational system,” the technocrat said. 

–  jaeniqueswartz@icloud.com