Zambia pledges to grow arts in SADC
Shingirai Madondo | Friday April 25, 2014 12:07
Zambia, Botswana’s northwestern neighbour sees itself as advanced in theatre productions and vows to impart expertise with surrounding countries.
Officially opening the 2014 April International Theatre Festival at the Lusaka Play House in Lusaka on Tuesday night, the Deputy Minister in office of the Vice-President Davies Mwango said Zambia is a theatre arts hub. “The geo-political position of the country, which has moved its thinking from being landlocked to land linked provides a big opportunity for countries around us to meet and exchange ideas on arts growth,” said the deputy minister.
He added: “Neighbouring countries should not only exchange issues around economic development, but social development as well.”
In the sphere of social development, Mwango said promoting and presenting the rich regional cultural heritage is an integral part.
Mwango said countries in the SADC region face similar social problems such as unemployment and dwindling numbers of tourists hence the need to intensify the promotion of regional cultural tourism.
Besides facing similar social problems, Mwango said the people of SADC share a common background of being Bantu-speaking and are all spread out with unique cultures marvelled beyond the continent.
“It is a matter of working together and ensures that some of the challenges we are facing in growing our theatre industry can be overcome. And we are pledging to help the neighbouring countries around us to grow their theatre,” pledged Mwango.
He said theatre production needs growth and infusion to turn it into cultural tourism to attract tourists. Mwango said the move would result in SADC solving some of the problems such as unemployment.
“We are looking forward to having fulltime actors and actresses,” said Mwango, saying it is against this backdrop that countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have been constantly present at the ongoing theatre festival.
Botswana is represented by Ghetto Waves Productions. Kwenze Mguni of Ghetto Waves said the group has realised the importance of attending to events of this nature saying the desire to establish “our own festival to be hosted in Francistown”.
Now that Zambia has pledged to support SADC towards growth of theatre, Mguni said their dream is likely to be realised.
“It is our hope that the government will take a leaf from their Zambian counterparts’ book and encourage us,” said Mguni.
Ghetto Waves crew is expected to perform Strong Women tonight. It is a story of a woman who demonstrates her strength only after being dipped in deep trouble.
Other countries represented at the festival are Zimbabwe, Malawi and the United States of America.