The power that art and culture can have over people is often underestimated, have enormous symbolic value and by its very nature represent the country’s history, tradition and identity, attributes often lost in times of chaos. Culture, or DAQAN in Somali, is a fundamental pillar for the reconstruction of the Somali social fabric. It can effectively contribute to the revival of the Somali identity, recognition of diversity, socialization and pride - roles that are vital in times of conflict and rapid social change; and be a development opportunity for future generations. However, after more than twenty years of conflict and civil strife, Somalia’s once vibrant cultural sector has been largely destroyed, with buildings and institutions of national cultural significance such as theatres, museums, libraries, and archives dilapidated, and cultural activities a shadow of their former dynamism. The two decades of insecurity have also caused many talented poets, playwrights, artists, and writers to flee the country. Despite Somalia’s oral cultural tradition (including proverbs, poems, songs) a great deal of cultural memory has now been lost in the absence of the country’s chief cultural actors.

Important to the culture sector is the role of Somali youth in preserving the country’s national identity and heritage. Somalia’s youth are a potential economic engine of the country as over 70% of its population is below the age of 30. Having witnessed a civil war, this generation of future leaders knows relatively little about Somalia’s history and the value of its culture. A focus on preserving and restoring the culture sector will therefore reinforce a national identify among the youth that has, for so long, been lost.

Community-based organizations and civil society institutions have played a role in attracting donor support for the rehabilitation of some cultural sites. Currently there are some governmental institutions, national and regional, mandated to administer the culture sector in Somalia. However, many challenges exist, including the absence of government structures to coordinate the management of cultural property, the lack of legal and policy frameworks, the absence of conservation practice, including lost memory related to culture and traditional practices and the limited awareness at institutional and community level regarding the value of promoting cultural policies and activities.