By MKHOKHELI ZIBENGWA
FIREWORKS expected for the highly anticipated upcoming 2nd Edition of Nyanga Arts Festival(NAF), the momentum of preparations continues to build.
This year's Festival is running under the theme We are #Living Heritage and will be held in the lush green town of Nyanga located in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands.
Picture:Sulumani Chimbetu
Nyanga Arts Festival is a brainchild of Nhimbe Trust, and this year's edition is also part of the Celebrations of the 20th Anniversaries of Nhimbe Trust, and the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Festival will kick off on October 28, on the Bira Stage at Chief Saunyama's homestead with The Expression Band and Black Umfolosi as headline acts supported by local dance groups, followed on Saturday 28 October by the NAF GOLF TOURNAMENT which is set to run concurrently with the inaugural Nyangani FM- ZiFM Local Emerging Talent Stage(LETS) at Montclair Hotel and Casino.
NAF will end on Sunday 28 October with an evening show set to be graced by performances from Katso, Surungano, Equalizer and Sulu Chimbetu.
In a Statement, the Festival Organizers promised a mouth-watering event with a new line-up of exciting artists.
"The 2023 programme features a new lineup of exciting artists, of which some are considered national treasures.Gracing the stage will be the legendary acapella group Black Umfolosi, all the way from the City of Kings, Bulawayo, who grew from humble beginnings as group of young high school boys to a world-class act touring over several decades in mutliple performances and reappearances in many countries of the world".
"ILIMA RECORDS, newly established by Nhimbe Trust to facilitate the creation, production and marketing of indigenous music to enance music business in Zimbabwe, will offer a recording and promotion contract to the artist selected as outstanding in the lineup of young artists featured".
"The year 2023 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Convention – two decades since it was adopted on 17 October 2003 by the 32nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO.It’s the opportunity for UNESCO, States Parties to the Convention and all stakeholders involved in the safeguarding of living heritage, to highlight that living heritage belongs to all".
"Organised under the theme We Are #LivingHeritage, the 2023 Nyanga Arts Festival is also the occasion to reflect on the role played by Nhimbe Trust in advancing the goals of the 2003 Convention in particular and the national cultural policy and its concomitant legislative agendas and actions in general.Living heritage is about people, resilience and knowledge passed on from generation to generation.For this reason, the anniversary is also an invitation to governments, NGOs, universities, bearers, practitioners and those who appreciate living heritage to organize activities, join UNESCO’s social media campaign (#LivingHeritage) and follow anniversary events, online or in person," said the Festival Organizers in a Statement.
Nyangani Community Radio Station and ZiFM Stereo are the key media partners for this year's Festival.
