24/06/2026
Ambassador Jerobeam Shaanika with Mr. Mark Donfried and a group of students shortly after he delivered a Keynote Address at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Potsdam, Thursday, 18 June 2026.
Keynote address on The Role of Culture in Namibian Foreign Policy toward Germany and the European Union by Jerobeam Shaanika
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Embassy of the Republic of Namibia at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Potsdam, Thursday, 18 June 2026
Your Excellency Giedrius Puodžiūnas, Ambassador of Lithuania to Germany
Ambassador Mmasekgoa Masire Mwamba former Ambassador of Botswana to EU and to Germany
Distinguished guests,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is both an honour and a privilege to address you today on a subject that is increasingly shaping international relations in the twenty-first century: the role of culture in foreign policy.
When we think of diplomacy, we often think of treaties, trade agreements, political negotiations, and security alliances. Yet behind these formal instruments lies a more enduring and powerful force: culture. Culture shapes how nations understand themselves and how they are understood by others. It carries our values, our memories, our traditions, and our aspirations across borders. It is through culture that peoples connect long before governments sign agreements and long after political leaders have left office. Since culture shapes perceptions, values, and outlooks, diplomats' approaches to international relations are often influenced by the environments in which they have developed, including their educational background, professional experiences, and the challenges they have faced in carrying out their responsibilities.
For Namibia, culture is not merely an expression of identity; it is a strategic instrument of foreign policy. Since gaining independence in 1990, Namibia has sought to engage the world not only through political and economic diplomacy but also through cultural diplomacy. We have recognized that culture possesses a unique ability to build bridges where politics alone may fall short.
Namibia is a nation rich in cultural diversity. Our many communities, languages, traditions, artistic expressions, and historical experiences form an essential part of our national identity. Through cultural festivals, artistic exchanges, exhibitions, academic cooperation, and heritage preservation initiatives, we share our story with the world and invite others to share theirs with us.
In this regard, culture serves as an important source of soft power. It allows nations to influence through attraction rather than coercion, through understanding rather than confrontation. Cultural diplomacy creates opportunities for dialogue, mutual respect, and cooperation. It enables nations to discover common ground while appreciating their differences.
Nowhere is the importance of cultural diplomacy more evident than in Namibia’s relations with Germany. The relations between our two countries are both complex and profound. They have been shaped by a shared history that includes painful chapters associated with colonialism and the genocide committed against the Herero and Nama peoples. These historical realities continue to influence contemporary relations and remind us that diplomacy is not only about the future but also about how we confront and understand the past as well as how we deal with it in the present.
Culture has become an important avenue through which Namibia and Germany engage with these historical questions. Through dialogue, memorialization initiatives, heritage preservation projects, academic research, and educational exchanges, both countries continue to explore pathways toward greater understanding and reconciliation.
The process of reconciliation is neither simple nor linear. It requires honesty, courage, empathy, and a willingness to listen. Cultural diplomacy creates the space where these conversations can take place. It allows societies to engage not only at the governmental level but also through people-to-people interactions that foster trust and mutual respect.
Similarly, Namibia’s engagement with the European Union has increasingly incorporated cultural cooperation as an important component of our broader partnership. Through educational programs, youth exchanges, support for creative industries, heritage conservation projects, and initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion, culture has become a valuable bridge connecting our societies.
These partnerships generate benefits that extend far beyond the cultural sphere. They contribute to economic development through tourism and creative industries. They create educational opportunities for young people. They encourage innovation, research, and entrepreneurship. Most importantly, they strengthen the human connections that sustain long-term international cooperation. However, while cultural diplomacy offers tremendous opportunities, it is important to acknowledge the challenges that often accompany it, particularly from an African perspective. African countries frequently engage in cultural diplomacy within a global environment still shaped by historical inequalities and persistent stereotypes. Too often, African cultures continue to be viewed through the lens of outdated narratives of poverty, conflict, dependency, or exoticism rather than being recognized as dynamic, innovative, and contemporary contributors to global civilization.
As a result, African diplomats, scholars, artists, and cultural practitioners frequently find themselves performing a dual task. They must not only promote cooperation and dialogue but also challenge misconceptions and advocate for the equal recognition of African perspectives and experiences.
Another challenge concerns the issue of reciprocity. International cultural partnerships should be founded on mutual respect and mutual benefit. Yet there are occasions when cooperation is perceived primarily as assistance flowing in one direction, rather than as an exchange among equal partners. Such perceptions risk undervaluing the contributions that African countries bring through their cultural heritage, indigenous knowledge systems, creative industries, intellectual traditions, and strategic partnerships.
True partnership requires recognition that every nation, regardless of size or economic strength, has something valuable to contribute to the global community.
This broader challenge reflects an enduring reality of international relations: cultural diplomacy often operates within wider global power imbalances. Nations with greater economic and political resources possess greater capacity to project their cultural narratives internationally. Consequently, countries such as Namibia must work diligently to ensure that their voices, histories, and aspirations are heard and understood on equal terms. Yet these challenges should not discourage us. Rather, they should inspire us to strengthen our commitment to cultural diplomacy as an instrument of equality, dialogue, and mutual learning.
Looking ahead, the opportunities are significant.
The digital age has created unprecedented possibilities for cultural engagement. Digital platforms allow us to share our stories, showcase our heritage, and connect with audiences across the globe in ways that were unimaginable only a generation ago. Young people, in particular, are emerging as powerful ambassadors of culture through technology, innovation, education, and creative expression.
We must therefore continue investing in educational exchanges, artistic collaboration, heritage preservation, cultural entrepreneurship, and digital diplomacy. We must encourage our institutions, universities, museums, cultural organizations, and communities to deepen cooperation across borders.
For Namibia, this means continuing to position culture at the centre of our foreign policy strategy. It means promoting our rich cultural heritage while embracing innovation and global engagement. It means ensuring that cultural diplomacy contributes not only to international understanding but also to national development, social cohesion, and economic growth.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Culture is far more than a collection of traditions inherited from the past. It is a living force that shapes our present and influences our future. It connects peoples, transcends political boundaries, and reminds us of our shared humanity.
In a world increasingly characterized by division, uncertainty, and misunderstanding, cultural diplomacy offers a pathway toward greater dialogue, reconciliation, and cooperation. Culture serves as a beacon of hope, guiding humanity and lighting the way toward the better world we aspire to create. It enables nations to engage one another not only as political actors but also as communities of people with histories, values, dreams, and aspirations.
Namibia’s experience demonstrates that culture can serve as a bridge between continents, between societies, and between generations. It can strengthen our relations with Germany and the European Union while contributing to broader objectives of peace, development, and international cooperation.
Let us therefore continue to invest in culture as a force for understanding, as a vehicle for partnership, and as a foundation for a more inclusive and interconnected world.
I thank you for your kind attention.
