Mogadishu — Somalia on Monday launched a national workshop focused on preserving the country's historical and cultural archives under UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme, as authorities seek to safeguard records documenting the nation's heritage and identity.

The two-day workshop was opened in Mogadishu by Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Abdifatah Qasim Mahmoud and brings together government officials, cultural experts and stakeholders involved in preserving Somali history, literature, arts and heritage.

The event is organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with support from the Japan-funded JFIT programme.

Speaking at the opening session, UNESCO representative Lea Simonini said the initiative would help strengthen understanding of Somalia's role in preserving historical memory and documentary heritage.

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Mahmoud stressed the importance of protecting the country's national memory and media archives, highlighting the archives of Radio Mogadishu as a vital repository of Somalia's political, cultural and social history.

"Preserving the records contained in the national archives is not merely a technical task; it is a national responsibility aimed at safeguarding the identity and history of the Somali people," the minister said.

He described the Radio Mogadishu archive as a living record of Somali culture, arts and nation-building efforts, calling for urgent measures to protect and modernize the collection.

The minister said his ministry would prioritize the digitization and preservation of the broadcaster's archives in cooperation with UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme.

The workshop forms part of broader national and international efforts to preserve Somalia's documentary heritage and integrate it into UNESCO-led global initiatives aimed at protecting humanity's historical memory for future generations.