Promoting dialogue and raising awareness: land reform and the arts in Namibia

Type Conference Paper - “2015 WORLD BANK CONFERENCE ON LAND AND POVERTY” The World Bank - Washington DC, March 23-27, 2015
Title Promoting dialogue and raising awareness: land reform and the arts in Namibia
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2015
URL http://www.the-eis.com/data/literature/Land reform and the Arts in Namibia.pdf
Abstract
The authors provide an overview of the main elements of land reform in Namibia initiated by a
1991 high-level conference on land issues to undo past discrimination and to foster socioeconomic
development for all Namibian citizens. The responsible Ministry of Lands and
Resettlement launched several art projects to promote the land reform agenda or specific aspects
of it in communal and commercial areas. Besides reviewing the main achievements and
challenges in implementing the reform 25 years after independence, the paper will discuss the
purpose, concept and approaches of these projects. The authors will take into account relevant
literature on the relationship between the arts, outreach and social change. The interplay will be
examined between art and artistic expression on the one hand, and the educational side of
discussing land-related technical and political issues on the other. By examining relevant project
reports and analyzing the corresponding media coverage, the paper will attempt to assess the
contribution of the art projects in fostering awareness and dialogue on such highly contentious
and technical topic such as land reform in Namibia.

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