Staff Reporter

Government is fully prepared for the national launch of the Culture Month on 27 May this year which would be hosted in Binga, Matabeleland North Province.

In a statement yesterday, the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, Dr Kirsty Coventry urged relevant stakeholders and arts practitioners to initiate events that celebrate the country’s cultural diversity, unity and peace  while leaving no one and no place behind in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of inclusive development.

“Zimbabwe has moved from one day initially to Culture Week, which ran successfully for several years, and now to Culture Month which provides an opportunity to host events throughout May, with the National launch on the 27th of May which will be hosted in Binga, Matabeleland North Province.

“We are confident that this year we will be able to host most of the events that have been scheduled with the support of the European Union as the lead partner for Culture Month. We hope this support will go beyond 2023 and Culture Month but spread to other activities to strengthen and capacitate the Cultural and Creative Sector in Zimbabwe,” said Minister Coventry.

The Minister added that this year’s Culture Month would create a platform for building diverse cultural relationships in the country by offering opportunities for dialogue in line with the objectives of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development as prescribed by UNESCO.

Meanwhile, this year’s Culture Month theme, Promoting Cultural Diversity, Unity and Peace, is part of Government’s efforts to implement the National Cultural and Heritage Policy and the National Youth Policy (2021-2025) which brings cohesion through arts and culture, leaving no one behind through cultural industries in line with the National Development Strategy 1 and Vision 2030.