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Paris, Namibia will join the global celebration of International Jazz Day 2024, with a series of public events aimed at promoting jazz, fostering cultural exchange, and exploring new technological opportunities for the genre. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared International Jazz Day to be celebrated annually on 30 April, intending to raise awareness of the benefits of jazz as an educational tool and a force for promoting dialogue among cultures, freedom of expression, and mutual understanding.
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the celebration in Namibia will be hosted by a consortium of partners including UNESCO, the Directorate of Arts at the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC), the College of the Arts (COTA), the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN), the Museums Association of Namibia (MAN), and the U.S. Embassy in Namibia.
The public events will begin with a colloquium on jazz and digital technology at the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) on Monday, 29 April, from 14:30 to 17:30. This event will bring together music students, practitioners, and leaders in digital and technology industries in Namibia, as well as ICT policy planners and government officials. Discussions will focus on the perception and evolution of traditional jazz music in Namibia, access and quality in jazz education, the expansion of a creative industry around jazz music, and the impact of digitalization and technological advancements.
A pilot Youth Jazz Music Program on Namibian jazz music and digitalization will be launched at the colloquium. This program, led by the College of the Arts, aims to encourage young musicians to appreciate traditional Namibian jazz while integrating digital technology into their compositions. The program will run for eight months, from May to December 2024, with participants expected to create compositions that incorporate elements of traditional Namibian music and digital technology. The top three musical productions will be presented to the public during International Jazz Day 2025.
The main event, the International Jazz Day concert, will take place on Tuesday, 30 April, from 19:00 to 22:00 at the backstage of the National Theater of Namibia. The concert will feature local jazz acts, including Erna Chimu, Suzy Eises, Sharon Van Rooi, and Slow. The audience will also experience an interlude of Namibia’s Nama Music by the Aboxan Musik |Ob ?Âns tsî ?Khasigu, a musical tradition inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
These events reflect Namibia’s long-standing tradition with jazz and its commitment to fostering creativity and cultural heritage in the 21st century.