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UNESCO is seeking a contractor to provide communication and visibility services to the following two projects: the “Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Basic Education in Namibia and Zimbabwe,” and the “Rehabilitation and Development of the Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site.” 

Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Basic Education in Namibia and Zimbabwe

UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) is implementing the Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in basic education project in Namibia and Zimbabwe. This project is supporting the integration of living heritage in basic education, through a whole-school approach involving communities, teachers, and learners. Incorporating living heritage in schools can help contextualize how and what students learn, create stronger connections between classrooms and learners’ everyday life and strengthen their sense of pride for their own cultures and respect for others. Integrating living heritage in schools strengthens appreciation of cultural diversity; connects schools, families, and communities; reinforces relations between children, their parents and grandparents; engages them in heritage safeguarding; and stimulates students’ curiosity – all this while making learning more relevant, inclusive, and accessible. Furthermore, intangible cultural heritage supports linking education systems to the local community and vice versa, recognizing the role of the communities in the teaching and learning processes. In this regard, intangible cultural heritage provides a needed and incredibly rich resource for attaining SDG 4, notably Target 4.7 which emphasizes learning to ‘appreciate cultural diversity’ and to ‘understand the role of culture for development’ as part of education for sustainable development and global citizenship. 

Rehabilitation and Development of the Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site 

With support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), UNESCO is partnering with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and other key stakeholders in the implementation of the “The Rehabilitation and Development of the Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site” project. UNESCO is supporting the Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site's rehabilitation and conservation efforts, as well as the development of sustainable tourism practises around the site, all while promoting community engagement in marketing the National Monument to boost the monument and surrounding areas' visibility.  

As part of the efforts to upscale visitor experience and further enhance the expected results of the ongoing project at Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site, UNESCO seeks to enhance the interpretation and presentation of the monument with the support from the Embassy of Ireland through the provision of inclusive state-of-the-art interpretation content and products in order to cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of the site and its outstanding universal values among local communities and visitors alike. 

In this context, UNESCO seeks to engage an audio-visual company to produce the services listed below under the specific projects.

Assignment 1: Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Basic Education in Namibia and Zimbabwe Project. 

The audio-visual company will provide the following services under the “Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Basic Education in Namibia and Zimbabwe” project. 

Appoint a project manager responsible for:

1. The production of articles, scripts, and other relevant information under the project. 
2. Coordinate the activities envisioned in the communication plan, to be detailed below. 
3. Provide logistical support to the video-production under the project and ensure that all material is submitted within the timelines agreed with UNESCO. 

A communication plan, approved by UNESCO, which includes the following elements and responsibilities: 

1. Embed the project’s visual identity developed by UNESCO into all communication and visibility materials, including:

• 2 press releases for two national newspapers in Namibia and Zimbabwe, 
• A series of audio-visual material (9 in total) as detailed in the workplan, 
• At least two social media posts per month, between June and November 2024 about project progress, 
• 2 op-eds for regional newspapers and/or educational institutions. 

Kindly note all communication and visibility materials need to be reviewed and approved by UNESCO.

1. Provide a list of strategic media stakeholders, which should include: 

• 2 national newspapers. 
• 2 regional newspapers.
• 2 national radio outlets. 
• 2 journalists.
• 2 social media influencers in the Education sector.
• Any other stakeholder the contractor deems relevant for this project. 
  • a schedule of when these stakeholders will be contacted, 

The list of strategic media stakeholders also needs to include: 

• dates when the project content will be posted. 

The contractor is expected to develop the following content: 

A.         Audio-visual Material:

Develop and distribute audio-visual material for the project through social media platforms and broadcasting networks from the media list, including: 

• 7 video diaries of each region/ province’s experience with implementing the project at school level. 
  • the 3 provinces in Zimbabwe, specifically Masvingo; Matabeleland South and Manicaland, from 9 September to 20 September 2024. 

The script and questions will be developed in consultation with the Project Coordinator.

Each video diary needs to include testimonials from all 12 schools under the project. 

The video production will join the UNESCO Project Coordinator with scheduled missions to:

• The 4 regions in Namibia, specifically Omaheke, Kunene, Karas and Zambezi from 30 – September to 18 October 2024. 

The video production team is expected to submit first drafts of:

• the Zimbabwe provinces, by 27 September 2024. 
• The Namibia regions by 25 October 2024. 

• Two short 5-minute videos on the ASP-Net exchange and the Ministerial Meeting. 
  • the ASP-Net exchange meeting, by 5 July 2024. 

The script and questions will be developed in conjunction with the Project Coordinator. 

The contractor shall develop a script in consultation with UNESCO Project Coordinator. 

The video production team is expected to submit a first draft of:

• the Ministerial Meeting, by 15 November 2024.

B. Human Interest Stories and Op-Eds

Write at least 3 human-interest articles and 2 op-eds on project progress.  The angle for these articles will be developed in conjunction with the UNESCO Project Coordinator. 

The appointed Project Manager needs to propose dates, within the communication plan, when these articles can be expected, following consultations with the stakeholders in the media list. 

• Organize for at least 2 of the 3 articles to be published on two national newspaper websites in Namibia and Zimbabwe. 
• Organize for at least 2 of the 3 articles to be published on two regional newspaper websites.
• Organize for at least 1 of the op-eds to be published by a leading education institution in the region. 

C. Media Outreach 

Identify at least two focal points per country, participating in the project, who can be interviewed. 

Coach and provide talking points for the 4 focal points to guide them in the scheduled interviews.

• Organize at least 2 radio interviews with two national radio stations in Namibia and Zimbabwe for identified focal points from the project, approved by the Project Coordinator. 
• Liaise with Project Coordinator to publish recorded radio interviews on UNESCO community radios in the region. 

Assignment 2 : The Rehabilitation of the Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site Project. 

The audio-visual company will produce the following services under the “The Rehabilitation of the Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site” project.

Document project milestones and enhance its visibility across mainstream media sites. In this context the contractor is expected to; 

1. Develop at least four (4) human interest stories within the first six months (1 article bi monthly) of the project that highlight the impact of the project on local communities, artisans, and stakeholders to be published, among other outlets, at UNESCO’s website and social media. 
2. Publish at least two (2) news articles inspired by the project on local national media outlets to raise awareness about the project. 

Produce 5 high-quality short videos (between 30 seconds and 1 minute) to visually document the project’s progress and impact.

Project duration is estimated to be at least 6 months.

The contract will be managed by the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa based in Harare, Zimbabwe. The contractor will be expected to provide an updated status of the assignment as per agreement in the terms of references. Formal reporting is expected upon delivery of each deliverable. Additional reporting activities may be requested by UNESCO ROSA on a need basis.

The consultant/firm will be selected following a competitive bidding process. Candidates must submit a cost estimation (in USD) as an expression of interest, clearly itemizing costs. Payment will be done upon submission of each deliverable.

All rights, including title to property, copyright, trademark and patent; in any work produced by the contractor by virtue of the contract, shall be vested in UNESCO which alone shall hold all rights of use. 

Accountability (C) 

Communication (C) 

Innovation (C) 

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) 

Planning and organizing (C) 

Results focus (C) 

Teamwork (C) 

Professionalism (C)

1. Experience and Expertise:

• Proven experience in providing audio-visual production services, preferably in the context of cultural heritage preservation or educational projects.
• Previous experience working with international organizations or NGOs, especially in education, cultural heritage, or related areas.
• Expertise in developing communication plans, producing audio-visual content, and managing media outreach activities.

2. Team Composition:

• Availability of a project manager with proven experience in coordinating multimedia projects, including the production of articles, scripts, and audio-visual materials.
• Adequate staffing to ensure timely delivery of all project requirements, including videographers, editors, writers, and communication specialists.

4. Communication and Media Network:

• Established network with strategic media stakeholders, including national and regional newspapers, radio outlets, journalists, and social media influencers in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

5. Content Development:

• Proficiency in developing engaging and culturally sensitive content, including articles, scripts, op-eds, and human-interest stories. Excellent writing and communication skills
• Experience in conducting interviews, scripting, and producing high-quality audio-visual materials, tailored to diverse audiences and platforms.

8. Reporting and Evaluation:

• Capacity to provide regular progress reports and updates to UNESCO, including documentation of project milestones and impact assessment.
• Willingness to participate in project evaluation activities and incorporate feedback for continuous improvement.

Proposals should be received by 24 May 2024 at the latest. No modifications can be made to the application submitted. The proposals received after the above deadline will not be considered. 

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice and may include tests and/or assessments, and a competency-based interview. UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieve and sustain gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities, as well as nationals from non-and under-represented Member States are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.