On Tuesday, Somalia’s Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Daud Aweis, welcomed Louise Haxthausen, the country representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to his office in Mogadishu. Their meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural development, with a particular emphasis on safeguarding Somalia’s rich media heritage.
A key topic of discussion was the ambitious ongoing project to digitize and preserve over seventy years of historical audio archives from Radio Mogadishu—the national broadcaster that has played a central role in Somali media and public life for decades. This initiative is not only vital for historical preservation but also for fostering national identity and cultural continuity for future generations.
Radio Mogadishu was first established in 1951 during the United Nations Trusteeship period, when Somalia was administered by Italy. Initially broadcasting in Italian, the station quickly expanded to include programming in Somali, becoming a powerful tool for education, news dissemination, and national unity. Over the years, the station has captured pivotal moments in Somalia’s political, cultural, and social history, making its archives an irreplaceable national treasure.
Aweis emphasized the importance of this collaboration with UNESCO, noting that preserving Radio Mogadishu’s archives aligns with Somalia’s broader efforts to revitalize its cultural institutions and protect its intangible heritage. Louise Haxthausen reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to supporting Somalia in this endeavor, highlighting the transformative potential of digitization in making cultural resources more accessible to the public, researchers, and future media professionals.
The meeting concluded with both parties expressing optimism about the future of Somalia’s cultural sector and the critical role international partnerships play in supporting its development.
