IGIHE

Category: Arts & Culture

  • Culture is Foundation of Development–Minister Mitali

    Rwanda Minister of Culture and Sports Protais Mitali has said that Culture is a foundation of sustainable development adding that Rwanda is honored to host the 2013 Pan African Festival of Dance.

    The Minister was yesterday officiating at the launching of the 9 day Cultural Festival in Kigali Capital.

    He added that a country that does not value its own culture will not develop.

    “African Culture and artists need to be recognized and supported; culture is on the basis of main achievements” the Minister noted.

    The launching Ceremony held sunday was attended by different dignitaries including the first lady of Rwanda Jeannette Kagame, Youth Minister Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister of Trade and Industry Francois Kanimba and Clare Akamanzi, the CEO of Rwanda Development Board which is also the organizer Of FESPAD 2013.

    Many artists have performed at the event showcasing the culture of their respective countries.

    It is expected that the weeklong event will attract thousands of residents who will find the opportunity to play traditional dance from 11 countries attending the festival.

    Today a National dance competition will be held in Rwamagana district in Eastern province at 10am and at 3PM in Kigali there will be a dance workshop at French cultural centre.

  • Urukerereza to Thrill Participants at FESPAD

    After different tours across the country in search of qualified traditional dancers, members of the Rwandese traditional ballet, Urukerereza Troupe have declared that they are ready to thrill participants in the forthcoming Pan-African Dance Festival which starts March, 23rd in Kigali.

    Laurent Makuza, head of the cultural department at the ministry of sports and culture, revealed that this is the good opportunity for Rwandese Traditional Ballet to present Rwanda’s culture as well as promoting it.

    “The Ballet is made of qualified traditional dancers, musicians and singing group of people who were selected countrywide and I am sure many people will enjoy its performance” Makuza noted.

  • FESPAD Scheduled for Feb 23

    Rica Rwigamba, Director of Tourism and Conservation in the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has announced that the 8th Edition of the Pan-African Festival of Dance (FESPAD) will be held in Rwanda from February 23 to March 2, 2013 with the theme “Spirit of expression.”

    A total of 40 countries were invited to take part in this festival with a delegation of 10 people each.

    To date, five of them have already confirmed their participation.
    The specialty of the 8th edition of FESPAD is that it has scheduled a competition to determine the champion of African dance.

    Through their respective traditional music and dances, participating countries will sell their cultural talents.

    “The FESPAD is consistent with the strategy of Rwanda to show the world its unique cultural heritage through dance but also to make a platform destination in Kigali international events while promoting African Unity through dance” said Rwigamba.

    As host country, Rwanda will benefit from FESPAD the economic point of view due to currency that will enter the country.

    This year, RDB focus its attention on cultural tourism and plans to visit various tourist places foreign guests.

    FESPAD was created in 1998 by the former Organization of African Unity, now the African Union.

  • JAMAFEST Concludes in Kigali

    The first edition of the EAC Art and Cultural Festival, dubbed Jamafest, ended with funfare at the weekend at Amahoro Stadium, Kigali.

    At the event, regional countries were called upon to take cultural-related activities to learning institutions to help the young generation understand their cultural traditions.

    Sports and Culture minister Protais Mitali said children need to understand their culture in order to boost EAC integration and also social-economic development.

    He added that cultural activities such as carnivals should be taken to schools noting that if there is no culture there is no future and sustainable development in the region.

    He stressed the need to increase the number of participants in the next event as well as introduce prize-giving to the best exhibitors to encourage more people to advance their talents.

    The closing ceremony was preceded by community work (Umuganda) at the Genocide Memorial Centre in Gisozi as symbol of collaboration among East Africans.

  • Iran Impounds Buddha statues from shops

    An Iranian newspaper is reporting that government authorities are confiscating Buddha statues from shops in Tehran to stop the promotion of Buddhism in the country.

    Sunday’s report by the independent Arman daily quotes Saeed Jaberi Ansari, an official for the protection of Iran’s cultural heritage, as saying that authorities will not permit a specific belief to be promoted through such statues.

    Ansari called the Buddha statues symbols of “cultural invasion.”
    He did not elaborate on how many have been confiscated so far, but said more would be seized from shops.

    Iran has long fought against items, such as Barbie dolls and Simpsons cartoon characters, to defuse Western influence, but this appears to be the first time that Iranian authorities are showing an opposition to symbols from the East.

    AP

  • Rwandans Urged to Participate in JAMAFEST

    The Ministry of Culture and Sport has called upon Rwandans to participate in the forthcoming Festival of Culture and Art JAMAFEST to be hosted in Kigali.

    The five EAC Member countries will send more than 500 artists in Kigali among which 223 are Kenyans, Burundians 75, Tanzanians 70, Ugandans 160 and 100 Rwandans.

    MINISPOC says there will be a diversity of cultures, expertise, inventiveness and art.

    Lauren Makuza, Director of Culture in the MINISPOC said the festival will focus on culture and art with traditional musical instruments and theater plays inspired by tradition.

    For the first time in Rwanda, Kigali city will host the carnival street, a colorful cultural show of the participating countries.

    JEMAFEST is a festival that lasts a whole week of February 11 to 17, 2013

  • Artisans in Huye to Relocate to Sovu Center

    Artisans operating in Rwabayanga centre of Huye District are expected to relocate to Sovu centre as Huye plans to construct a District handcraft zone in Sovu.

    The artisans want to relocate their activities to avoid losses that could result in changing the work place.

    They said that a number of clients may diminish because Sovu Centre is far from Huye town.

    Some business people in Rwabayanga were renovating their houses targeting an increase of relocation fees while the District considers the renovation as illegal adding that they should obey guidelines.

    Rwabayanga is a small centre located in Huye District. It is known as a hub for handcrafts activities.

    It was noted that Huye District has many people engaged in handcraft work thus grouping them in one centre could boost the Socio-economic development of the District.

  • Exihibition Focuses on Merging Photography & Painting

    Educat project on Wednesday exhibited the art results of Lars Norman Hestbaek, a Danish under-water photographer who has been working together with 5 talented young Rwandan artists for three weeks, teaching them how to merge photography and painting.

    The activity of Educat Project was aimed at putting together two different cultures of Rwanda and Denmark which can lead to entrepreneurship.

    Lars has collaborated with young Rwandan artists who added paintings on his under water photographies from Denmark and Lake Kivu.

    Some of the product include pictures of Rwanda’s Olympic swimmer, Jacson Niyomugabo who trains in Lake Kivu.

    These art products will be sold in Denmark during a festival scheduled in July this year.

    Lars Norman liked both the process and the results.

    ”It has been very inspiring to have the chance to work with a group of talented young Rwandan artists. Amazing things happen when you mix different cultures and art.

    We have all learned so much from each other and had a lot of fun at the same time. In this exhibition we mix Danish and Rwandan cultures as well as under-water photography and painting.” he said

    ”The exhibition helps Rwandan culture and art to be promoted in Denmark and at inernational level,”Innocent Nkurunziza, one of Rwandan artists said.

    Ruyonza Anlette in charge of Art promotion in the Ministry of Sport and culture appreciated the achievements of the partnership between Educat and Rwandan artists.

    Ruyonza said the Ministry has organised a festival(Jumafest:Jumuia ya Afurika ya Mashariki Utamaduni Festival) in February this year which will be attended by artists from East African Region, to learn from one another.

  • Uganda to Chair JAMAFEST in Kigali

    Uganda will chair the first ever East African Arts and culture festival slated to take place in Kigali, Rwanda in February.

    The East African Community Secretariat based in Arusha, Tanzania chose Uganda as chair and Rwanda as host for the annual festival with hope to rotate it around the region.

    The Six-day festival will see member states show-case their uniqueness through art and culture in the Rwandan capital from 11 to 17 of February, gender state minister Rukia Nakadama said.

    Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda have confirmed attendance of the festival code named “Juiimiya ya Afrika Mashariki Utamaduni (JAMAFEST)”.

    The theme of the festival is: “Fostering East African Community Integration through Cultural Industries”.

    Arts and crafts pieces, cultural wears, music and dance, literary works, foods and beverages among fortes are to be showcased.

    Rwandan President Paul Kagame will officially open the non-competitive festival with other regional leaders expected to grace the occasion.

    Initially, each member state was to send 50 participants, however, as the D-day draws closer, participants have shown increasing enthusiasm, forcing the organisers to leave it open-ended.

    NV

  • Art Industry should benefit artists–Minister

    Rwanda’s Minister of State in Charge of Primary and Secondary Education Dr. Harebamungu Mathias has said art industry should benefit artists and also contribute to socio-economic development in the country.

    The Minister was opening the symposium on Art industry and skills development for sustainable job creation through TVET in Rwanda.

    However, the Minister noted that Rwandan Artists in different fields should be characterized by critical thinking and delivering clear messages with a strong basic foundation.

    The symposium covered several topics including; Training skills development in Art industry, How to finance Rwanda’s Art industry and avail labour market opportunities and provision of required infrastructure (both in training and business).