Namibia officially observed its first Genocide Remembrance Day on May 28, 2025, honoring the victims of the Herero and Nama genocides committed by German colonial forces more than a century ago. The national commemoration, held at the parliamentary gardens in Windhoek, paid tribute to the tens of thousands of Indigenous people killed between 1904 and 1908 in what is often described as “Germany’s forgotten genocide.”
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah reiterated Namibia’s demand for Germany to provide greater reparations to the descendants of the victims. Although Germany acknowledged the atrocities as genocide in 2021 and committed over €1 billion in development aid over 30 years, Namibia maintains that this does not constitute formal reparations and is calling for a more satisfactory resolution.
The day’s events included a candlelight vigil, a moment of silence, and a public ceremony, underscoring the importance of remembering the victims and continuing the dialogue for justice and healing.