Promoting the culture of peace in policymaking and implementation of SDG16 in Namibia

The Parliament of Namibia and UNESCO are organizing a workshop that aims at developing knowledge and skills of legislators regarding interculturality in order to integrate the culture of peace in legislative processes and in the implementation of the SDGs in Namibia. The workshop will be facilitated by Gilbert M. Khadiagala, Professor of International Relations at the University of Witwatersrand, by Jairos Kangira, the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and by UNESCO.

Policy makers and parliamentarians wield the power to make an impact at the national, regional, and international levels through the passing of laws and their participation in international governing bodies.

Parliamentarians represent different political parties and social groups. Therefore, sensitizing this nucleus of diversity on intercultural dialogue is key for the advancement of a culture of peace and the implementation of the sustainable development goals, including SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions).
By ensuring participatory and inclusive processes, parliamentarians also provide a communication platform to bridge the governments-citizens divide. Thus, by bringing the SDGs and the culture of peace to the attention of the public and the media, they further promote accountability at all levels.
In today’s challenging context, UNESCO recognizes the potential of policy makers and empower them to advance intercultural dialogue, culture of peace and the sustainable development goals.