3305: CULTURE DAY |"Sheltering Songs" Initiative Uses Music to Safeguard South Sudan’s Heritage

Marking World Day for Cultural Diversity, a cultural event titled “Sheltering Songs: Culture | Heritage | Archives” in Juba highlights the role of music in preserving memory, identity, and community knowledge. The initiative documents songs from elders across South Sudanese communities, including those in refugee settings, and reinterprets them for younger audiences. Organisers and partners, including UNESCO, emphasise culture as a tool for peace, inclusion, and national unity, while promoting youth engagement and safeguarding intangible heritage for future generations. In conversation with the Miraya Breakfast Show's duo are: 

• Prof Deng Nhial, Acting Director General for Culture in the Ministry of Culture, Museum and National Heritage 
• Rebecca Lorins, Co-founder of Likikiri Collective 
• Becu Thomas, Culture Officer with UNESCO