Maitisong, Botho University to cooperate in promoting arts, culture

Lerato Maleke | Wednesday January 28, 2015 10:09

Botho internalisation and partnerships Associate Dean, Marang Mutuna, said the objective of the MoU is to collaborate in promotion of arts and culture in the two institutions for the benefit of stakeholders. 

The two organisations intend to host workshops to unearth and develop talent in arts and culture. By virtue of the MoU, the institutions also commit to share available resources and share costs where applicable.

Maitisong and Botho University will co-host their annual arts and culture festivals. Maitisong director, Gao Lemmenyane, said that the collaboration is a groundbreaking initiative by the two institutions. “It is not only academically inclined but also has skills in performance,” he said. He said the signing of the agreement was an interesting moment because it will create employment in the performing arts.

“I am very glad because this is a job creation initiative and that the youth will be able to create their own employment opportunities if unemployed,” he said.

Botho University Pro-Vice Chancellor and director employability and development, Priya Iyer, said the university is interested in promoting Maitisong arts festivals and also to promote arts and culture in the country.

She said the initiatives are geared towards producing the best artists who can compete both locally and internationally. “Our university participates in the promotion of sports and now we would like to diversify this by also taking on the promotion of arts and culture in Botswana, so as to assist government in its endeavour to do so,” she said.

She cited Botswana’s 800m star, Nigel Amos, as a product of Botho University.

“We don’t want to produce sportsmen only but also produce the best artists in the country,” she added. She urged the youth to participate in such efforts, adding that there will be institutional competitions held by the partners.

“We want to see a lot of culture, not only in song and dance but also in traditional games,” she said.