President to launch culture month in Binga

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will officially launch the 2023 edition of Culture Month at
Kariyangwe Secondary School in Binga District on May 27 after Cabinet approved the
hosting of the 2023 edition of the National Culture Month celebrations.
The day is designed to promote, commemorate and celebrate the world’s diverse
cultures.
The Culture Month offers a window to promote and showcase the diversity of
Zimbabwean culture encompassing both the indigenous and contemporary traits of
cultural expressions.
President Mnangagwa
Held every year on May 21, the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and
Development celebrates not only the richness of the world’s cultures, but also the
essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable
development. The United Nations General Assembly first declared this World Day in
2002, following UNESCO’s adoption of the 2001 Universal Declaration on Cultural
Diversity, recognising the need to “enhance the potential of culture as a means of
achieving prosperity, sustainable development and global peaceful coexistence”.
Presenting the post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, the Minister of Information, Publicity
and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, said Culture Month is being
celebrated under the theme: “Promoting Cultural Diversity, Unity and Peace,” with
activities envisaged to involve participants and delegates from Zambia, Mozambique,
Malawi, Botswana, South Africa and Namibia.
“The 2023 edition of Culture Month will be officially launched by His Excellency the
President, Cde. Dr. ED Mnangagwa on Saturday, 27 May, 2023 in Binga at Kariyangwe
Secondary School Grounds, in Matabeleland North Province. Activities in all the 10
administrative provinces will be officially launched by the Ministers of State for
Provincial Affairs and Devolution. The events will be broadcast live on television and
other media platforms. The invitees will be given an opportunity to participate in
performances and exhibitions, while they will also experience and enjoy the
Zimbabwean culture,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said focus will be on success stories that will be projected through the production
of documentary dramas (docu-dramas) and skits using the medium of film and social
media platforms with the themed activities being traditional Cuisines Week
Celebrations; the Country-wide African Languages Week; the Fashion Week
Celebrations; the Cultural Dialogue Week; and the Potpourri Week Cultural Melting
Pot.
“During the Traditional Cuisines Week Celebrations, the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts
and Recreation through the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, will use their strategic
alliance with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) to encourage the consumption of
traditional foods in restaurants and hotels, enabling the event to coincide with the
First Lady’s Cook-out sessions,” said the Minister.
“The theme for the 2023 edition of the Country-wide African Languages Week is
‘African Languages for Sustainable Food Security, Cultural and Socio-economic
Development for the Africa We Want’ with the slogan ‘#What We Speak and What We
Eat Makes Africa Great!’. The African Languages Week will be officially launched
during the last week of May 2023, at the Midlands State University in order to promote
indigenous languages as official languages to be used in schools, universities, courts,
other public institutions and in all other domains of society.”
She said Fashion Week Celebrations will promote the uptake of the National Fabric and
also gather creative people in the fashion industry to showcase and market their
African fashion designs and adornments while the Cultural Dialogue Week will
promote peace, unity and development in society. Chronicle