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The Culture Fund is launched!
- Details
- Category: Press Releases
- Created on Thursday, 24 May 2007 08:24
HARARE- It happened. The Culture Fund was launched with much pomp and fanfare last night at a glitzy and glittering affair at Harare’s Seven Arts Theatre.
The launch, which was attended by the who’s who of the culture industry as well as business executives, diplomats and government representatives, also saw the digital unfurling of the trust’s new logo. There were performances by the spectacular Bhingi Werks, Albert Nyathi and Imbongi and Tumbuka Dance Troupe.
Speaking in pre-recorded messages, the Chairman of the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Board of Trustees, Luxon Zembe, hailed the co-operation between the Trust, and its strategic partners.
“ Government departments like the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, among others, have agreed that we can work with their network and structures of cultural officers countrywide, in order to reach potential beneficiaries resident in the various districts of our country,” he said
The Swedish Ambassador, HE Sten Rylander, re-iterated his country’s support for the development of the arts, as shown by the US$1 million seed money that the Swedes have injected into the Culture Fund.
“Through the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) we have a long-term commitment to the sector’s growth,” Ambassador Rylander said.
He added that he hoped that other organizations will also support this initiative.
The Guest of Honour, Women’s University Vice-Chancellor Dr Hope Sadza, who is also the Chairperson of the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe, said that government, the business community, international friends of Zimbabwe and arts practitioners, all have a key role to play in the growth of the culture sector as means of national wealth creation.
“The culture industries of countries like India and America contribute vast amounts to their national economies. One asks why that cannot be done here?” she asked
The Minister of Education, Sport and Culture, Cde Aeneas Chigwedere, awarded two charitable grants to Dandoni Kids Club of Chipinge (a traditional dance group made up of orphans and kids from farming communities) and Nompilo Nkomo (a disabled Bulawayo painter who uses her legs for her craft). The grants, amounting to $100million, were awarded on behalf of the Trust, as part of its social responsibility programme.
Although the fund was launched last night, it was registered in January 2006 with a board being constituted in June of the same year. Farai Mpfunya was appointed Executive Director in January this year.
