Participants showcasing their cultural dance during the official opening of the festival - CREDIT - EAC

The President of Burundi and the current Chairperson of the EAC has launched the 5th Edition of the EAC Arts and Culture Festival on Monday.

President Evariste Ndayishimiye opened the festival at the Intwari Stadium in Burundi capital, Bujumbura on Monday 5th September, 2022.

The event is organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the government of Burundi to promote regional socio-cultural integration through arts and culture.

The objective is to provide a regional platform to showcase culture as a prime driver of EAC integration.

The 4^th – 12^th September, 2022 event has brought together an estimated 1000 participants from the EAC Partner States.

The activities at the festival include; performing Artists, Exhibitors, Culture Professionals/ Academicians, Students, Administrators, Civil Society Organisations, and Private Sector involved in the art and culture sector activities.

The festival is being held within the provision of Article 119 (c) of the Treaty for the Establishment of EAC where Partner States undertake to promote close cooperation amongst themselves in culture and sports.

President Ndayishimiye said the EAC Arts and Culture code named “JAMAFEST” creates new channels for community dialogue and nurtures cultural diversity.

He added that the festival will create opportunities and distribution channels for cultural products.

“I would like to point out that Culture and creative industries is one of the sectors that the East African Community region is looking at in creating more employment opportunities especially for the youth,” said the President.

The Chairperson of EAC said that East Africa’s cultural diversity is critical in driving regional integration among Partner States.

He applauded both the EAC Council of Ministers for directing the EAC Secretariat to organize the Jamafest in the Partner States on a rotational basis and the EAC Secretariat for implementing the Council decision.

The Chair of the Summit reiterated that culture is an important part of every development process because only taking into account economic and social factors without paying attention to the cultural perspectives.

In addition, President Ndayishimiye said cultural expression helps foster respect and understanding between individuals and groups with different identities, thereby helping to resolve or prevent conflict and consequently enhance collaboration and relationships.

“I really appreciate the significance of coming together to interact and share experiences meant to foster social cohesion and unity within the East African Community region.”

The President challenged the Partner States to use platforms such as JAMAFEST to showcase their creative industries, and share best practices, thus opening practitioners’ new horizons on the regional and global culture and creative industry market.

Addressing the same occasion, the Minister for East African Community, Youth, Sports and Culture, Ambassador Dr. Ezéchiel Nibigira said the theme of this 5th Edition of JAMAFEST: “Harnessing the Cultural resources to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in the East African Community.” is instructive for the EAC determination to exploit natural resources towards free from COVID-19.

Minister Nibigira who also doubles as the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers said by including culture in regional integration programmes in a more systematic way.

He added that the East African Community can make full use of this cost-efficient tool to widen and deepen the integration process.

“I am confident that cohesion among East African citizens will be a reality, thus, the region shall achieve its vision to be united as one people having a common destiny.”

On his part, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Christophe Bazivamo noted that the creative economy is projected to reach a global value of $985 billion by 2023.

He added that this could represent 10% of the global GDP according to the International Finance Corporation, December, 2021.

The EAC Official informed the participants that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) reports on creative economy (2018), as the global market of cultural goods and services doubled from $208 billion in 2002 to $509 billion in 2015.

Bazivamo said that with the abundance of creative talent and rich cultural
assets in the EAC Partner States, there is a huge opportunity of harnessing the economic potential of culture and creative industry to promote economic growth, employment creation, social inclusion and export earnings.

On her part, Lady Justice Anita Mugeni from the East African Court of Justice on behalf of the Judge President, Hon Justice Nestor Kayobera commended the Partner States for realizing the purpose of Arts and culture festivals as a primary driver of regional integration and sustainable development.

“This is a great opportunity to appreciate and embrace one another’s and identify common grounds that unite us as East Africans,” she said.

“These are the fruits of integration, together we will go far and remain stronger as a region.”