Keynotes at the Eighth International Symposium on Place Names 2025

The Eighth International Symposium on Place Names will gather toponymists, geographers, linguists, planners, and heritage professionals in Clarens, South Africa, 26–29 November 2025. Hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS), Faculty of the Humanities, the meeting runs face-to-face under the theme:

Harmonising toponymic heritage: balancing standardisation and local diversity

Keynotes to watch

• William (Bill) Watt — Inclusion in Practical Terms
  A grounded look at how inclusive naming policies can be implemented in the everyday work of councils, mapping, signage, and data standards.

• 
  Sambulo Ndlovu — Intricacies of the self and non-self in African toponymy
  An exploration of identity in names: how belonging, othering, and memory surface in African place-naming practices.

Why this theme matters

Standardisation supports safety, governance, and interoperability. Local diversity keeps oral histories, languages, and community meanings alive. ISPN 2025 sits right at that intersection - asking how national datasets, UNGEGN-aligned procedures, and digital platforms can respect community forms while ensuring usable, consistent data.

Likely threads across the programme

• Policies for inclusive, multilingual naming (documentation, adjudication, and maintenance)

• Community-led surveys and oral history methods for recovering indigenous toponyms

• Data pipelines: gazetteers, OSM and SDI alignment, diacritic-safe exchange, and versioning

• Education and outreach: from curriculum to heritage tourism and museum displays

• Case studies from Southern Africa and beyond on renaming and reconciliation

Practical details

• Dates: 26–29 November 2025

• Location: Clarens, South Africa (in-person)

• Host: University of the Free State (UFS)

• More information & updates: check the conference page on the UFS website.

If you work with place-names - whether in archives, academia, local government, mapping, or community projects - block the dates. Clarens will be the place to debate how we keep our toponymic heritage legible, just, and alive.