SPARC ceremony 2007 in Namibia

SPARC, the SWAPO Party Archives and Research Centre was formally inaugurated 20 November 2007 by the then Vice President of SWAPO and the President of the Republic of Namibia, Cde Hifikepunye Pohamba. At a ceremony held on the premises of SPARC, President Pohamba, the former President, Sam Nujoma, Prime Minister Nahas Angula, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Netumbo Ndaitwa, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of SPARC, Eunice Lipinge, the Swedish Ambassador to Namibia in South Africa, Anders Möllander and a representative of the German based Fredrich Ebert Foundation, the Mayor of Windhoek, Matheus Shikongo, the Deputy Mayor of Windhoek, Elaine Trepper and two hundred invited guests visited the offices of SPARC, got acquainted to the staff of SPARC, got a demonstration on how to search in the database of SPARC and the follow of the work, the process of digitising, systemizing and preserving the material like documents, photographs, videos, films sound and other records of SPARC. The amount of digitised material is comprised of approximately 120 000 documents, 14 000 pictures and 140 hours of video and films. During an initial phase of two years, SPARC received financial support from the Nordic Africa Institute, Sweden, of SEK 1.000 000.

During the ceremony number of prominent persons held speeches on the importance of the work undertaken by the SPARC initiative. See and listen to these speeches below (flv):