The Sunday Mail
CULTURE Week celebrations, running from May 16-23 are in full force in all the country’s 10 provinces.
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe was yesterday expected to officially launch the Culture Week commemorations at Nemakonde High School in Chinhoyi.
According to the arts council programme, the week-long fête is running under the theme, “Celebrating Arts and Cultural Entrepreneurship”.
And as has become tradition, the celebrations will be held in every province in the country, but on different dates throughout the week.
Moreover, what makes the event intriguing is that it leads to Africa Day celebrations on May 25, thus the Culture Week gives African artistes an opportunity to celebrate their culture and uniqueness.
NACZ communications and marketing officer Cathrine Mthombeni said the week-long commemorations would be punctuated by diverse activities that depict various aspects of hunhu/ubuntu.
Add to this, she said the council had made thorough preparations to ensure that the events will be a success in every province.
The celebrations almost failed to materialise due to a number of challenges last year, among them, resources.
“I can say we have done everything that needs to be done to guarantee the success of the culture celebrations. The events will be held in every province in the country.
“The ground work that we have done shows that we are not going to have hiccups,” she said.
Some of the activities to mark the Culture Week will include marches through the streets by artistes and cultural activists, fashion shows, music and dance performances, art and craft exhibitions, and herbal medicine exhibitions.
The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity by Unesco in 2001 proclaims May 21 of each year the World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
Under the declaration, countries were encouraged to celebrate the uniqueness of diverse cultures found in them as part of world culture while flaunting various cultural heritages that need to be preserved for posterity. Mthombeni said it was the duty of the NACZ to uphold the county’s cultural activities and juxtapose them with global affairs.
This, she said, was easily achievable with events of this nature.
“This week we are celebrating the Culture Week. And this is done by bringing to the fore various aspects of our diverse culture and appreciating them.
“This then means by celebrating our diversity we are also celebrating being African since we constitute the continent they call Africa,” she said.
Culture Week celebrations were launched in 2002 by the NACZ. Last year the national launch was held in the cultural city of Bulawayo and there was an overwhelming response. The activities were based on the idea of ensuring that the culture sector does not remain a vehicle for others to build their wealth only, but that varied artistic skills were able to improve livelihoods across the board. The thrust continues this year.
Added Mthombeni: “The idea is to instill a sense of pride among Zimbabweans as they will appreciate their cultures in their respective provinces while deriving financial value where possible.
“If they can tolerate one another in this country then they will not have problems with their brothers and sisters in neighbouring countries.” Africa Day, now in its 45th year, is all about celebrating African Unity.
Currently tarnished with the negative reports of Xenophobia, a mayoral committee for community development in Johannesburg has dedicated the day to fighting tribe and racial intolerance. Thus a full weekend has been set aside for Africa Day festivities, May 24 and 25, with activities focusing on arts and crafts, dance, poetry and music.
