Creative Estonia and UNESCO hold workshop on cultural preservation and digital entrepreneurship in Namibia

The Creative Economy Academy was organised to support the digital development of young entrepreneurs. The aim of the workshop was to increase awareness of creative entrepreneurship among young people while using digital technologies to promote the preservation of Namibia’s cultural heritage.

“Creative Estonia’s motto is to take Estonian creativity to the world. This workshop also means we have the opportunity to get to know Namibia’s rich cultural heritage. Estonian experts will present alongside the leaders of Namibia’s art and culture organisations and successful local creative entrepreneurs, whose experiences we can certainly learn from,” said Creative Estonia CEO Eva Leemet.

Using intangible cultural heritage as a business driver not only ensures the uniqueness of the business but also improves its competitiveness. Young people participating in the program acquired knowledge of product development, entrepreneurship, the circular economy and digital technologies. This improves their entrepreneurial competence, creating a strong foundation for starting their own businesses.

“To build a creative industry we need to educate our society to appreciate it and spend their money on it,” said Boyson Ngondo, Acting Director of the National Heritage and Culture Programmes, Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture.

“Namibian partners saw this as a necessary project as the unemployment rate among young people is alarmingly high. Developing entrepreneurial skills is crucial to improving young people’s competitiveness in the labour market. It is exciting to see innovative solutions for the digitisation of cultural heritage being developed by our Estonian partners and the young people of Namibia,” said Kristel Rillo, ESTDEV’s Advisor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The Creative Economy Academy was organised by Creative Estonia in cooperation with the UNESCO National Commission of Nambia. The project also received support from the UNESCO National Commission of Estonia and the Viljandi Academy of Culture at the University of Tartu. It was financed by the Estonian Center for International Development – ESTDEV.