Zim to celebrate Culture Month

Harare (New Ziana)- Zimbabwe will next week hold commemorative activities in the ten provinces to mark Culture Month as part of efforts to increase consumption of the culture and creative industries products, an official said on Thursday.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation director Biggie Samwanda said the theme this year was “Celebrating cultural diversity, leaving no one and no place behind”.

Samwanda said the commemorations, which would coincide with those for Africa Day, were also in line with the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, to which Zimbabwe is a signatory.

“Over and above this, the celebrations also embrace the Africa Day commemorations which are an integral part of celebrating who we are as a people during this Culture Month,” he said.

He said the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe would soon announce the dates when the provinces would hold their celebrations and the venues.

Samwanda said the activities were meant to grow audiences and increase consumption of the culture and creative industries in areas including music, poetry, theatre, dance, film and fashion.

“The government places importance on the cultural and creative industries sector in national development. The cultural and creative industries have become essential for inclusive economic growth, reducing inequalities and achieving the goals set out in the National Arts and Culture Policy, the National Culture and Creative Industries Strategy as well as vision 2030 as set out in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1),” said Samwanda.

New Ziana