Over 1000 artists to attend regional cultural festival

PIC: Gender ministry PS Pius Bigirimana cautions against blind aping of foreign culture and norms

ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & CULTURE

Under the auspices of the gender ministry, Uganda is set to host the third edition of Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki Utamaduni Festival (JAMAFEST).

It is a cultural festival that is every two years graced by participants from six partner states of the East African Community (EAC) on a rotational basis.

According to Naumo Juliana, a commissioner of culture and family affairs at the gender ministry, the main objective of the festival is to promote regional socio-cultural integration through arts and culture by providing a regional platform to showcase culture as a prime driver of the EAC integration.

Naumo told New Vision that each EAC partner state is expected to send "on average, 200 participants."   This would take the number of participants that will grace the cultural festival between September 7 and 15 to over 1000.

The festival is a result of the 23rd Council of the Ministers directive to the Secretariat to organize and hold regional arts and culture festivals and sports tournaments as one of the strategies for fostering socio-cohesion among East Africans.

"We intend to better market this year's JAMAFEST in order to help our people benefit from the festivities showcasing our art and culture," said Pius Bigirimana, the gender ministry's permanent secretary, while opening the third meeting of the joint steering committee organizing the cultural festival.

The steering committee is composed of technocrats from the six EAC partner states whose role is to tie the loose ends to the impending cultural festival.

Bigirimana cautioned against blind aping of foreign culture and norms, saying that the diversity of our culture - manifested through traditional attire, art or drama can be a veritable cash cow if better packaged and marketed.

As one of the ways to market the festival, he said the gender ministry headquarters in Kampala will be festooned in Uganda flag and a motley combination of Ugandan-made traditional attire and art.

The JAMAFEST 2017 will run under the theme Culture and creative industries: An Engine for unity and Employment Creation.

A theme song has been composed and will be played throughout the festival period as part of the publicity campaign of creating awareness of the role of arts and culture in regional integration.

The main venue of the festival will be Kololo Ceremonial Grounds where the main stage for cultural performances, the exhibition and market place will be located.

The official opening and closing ceremonies will also be held at the same venue. The subsidiary venues include Uganda National Cultural Centre where specialized shows including film festival, comedy and drama will be conducted. Hotel Africana will host the Symposium, fashion show and the closing dinner gala.

The inaugural JAMAFEST edition was held in Kigali in 2013 while the city of Nairobi hosted the second one two years later.