PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will next week launch this year’s edition of the National Culture Month in Binga, Matabeleland North Province, as the Second Republic continues to walk its talk on “leaving no one and no place behind”.
In addition, pursuant to Government’s devolution agenda, a National Gallery of Zimbabwe is set to be established in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
This year’s National Culture Month celebrations will be held under the theme, “Promoting Cultural Diversity, Unity and Peace”, and activities are envisaged to involve participants and delegates from Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa and Namibia.
The Culture Month offers a window to promote and showcase the diversity of Zimbabwean culture encompassing both the indigenous and contemporary traits of cultural expressions.
In a post-Cabinet media briefing last night, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the launch and subsequent month-long celebrations would give the nation an opportunity to retrospect on its diverse culture.
“The 2023 edition of Culture Month will be officially launched by President Mnangagwa on Saturday, 27 May, 2023 in Binga at Kariyangwe Secondary School Grounds, in Matabeleland North Province.
“Activities in all the 10 administrative provinces will be officially launched by the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution. The events will be broadcast live on television and other media platforms,” she said.
“The celebrations assume a national outlook and enable the nation to reflect on its diverse culture, while reminding the people of the need to preserve, transmit cultural practices and promote the spirit of Ubuntu/Unhu.”
In 2001, UNESCO proclaimed May 21 as the World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
To this end, Minister Mutsvangwa said it was imperative that the global community promotes, commemorates and celebrates the world’s diverse cultures and their respective uniqueness.
“All nations are expected and encouraged to celebrate the uniqueness of diverse cultures found in them as major components of the World Culture.
“The day is intended to provide a chance for showcasing various components of cultural heritage that need to be preserved for posterity at a time when globalisation is increasingly threatening lesser dominant cultures of this world,” she said.
Turning to other African states who will join in the festivities, Minister Mutsvangwa said they would also partake through performances and exhibitions.
“The invitees will be given an opportunity to participate through performances and exhibitions, while they will also experience and enjoy the Zimbabwean culture.
“The focus will be on success stories that will be projected through the production of documentary dramas (docu-dramas) and skits using the medium of film and social media platforms,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa revealed that themed activities for the Culture Month will include Traditional Cuisines Week Celebrations; the Countrywide African Languages Week; the Fashion Week Celebrations; the Cultural Dialogue Week; and the Potpourri Week-Cultural Melting Pot.
During the Traditional Cuisines Week Celebrations, the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation through the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, will use their strategic alliance with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) to encourage the consumption of traditional foods in restaurants and hotels, enabling the event to coincide with the First Lady’s Cook-out sessions.
The theme for the 2023 edition of the Countrywide African Languages Week is “African Languages for Sustainable Food Security, Cultural and Socio-economic Development for the Africa We Want” with the slogan “#What We Speak and What We Eat Makes Africa Great!”
The African Languages Week will be officially launched during the last week of May 2023, at the Midlands State University in order to promote indigenous languages as official languages to be used in schools, universities, courts, other public institutions and in all other domains of society.
The Fashion Week Celebrations will promote the uptake of the National Fabric and also gather creative people in the fashion industry to showcase and market their African fashion designs and adornments.
The Cultural Dialogue Week will promote peace, unity and development in society. – The Herald
