Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe is set to hold a culture month in all the country’s ten provinces in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no place and no one behind.

In a statement yesterday, Director in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Benson Dube said that the cultural commemorations were declared in December 2002 and were in line with the UNESCO 2005 Agreement.

“The World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development was proclaimed by UNESCO in December 2002.This is also in line with the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions to which Zimbabwe is a State Party Over and above this, the celebrations also embrace the Africa Day Commemorations which are an integral part of celebrating who we are as a people during this Culture Month`s commemorations activities,” said Dube.

Dube said that the Ministry was working with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) who are the drivers of Culture Month programme. He added that the activities of exposing the Culture and Creative Industries (CCIs) in Music, Poetry, theatre, dance, film and fashion were designed to ensure that the Ministry grow audiences and increases consumption of the CCIs, productions, goods and services.

Dube commended the Government for placing importance on cultural events.

“The organization of such important events by the Ministry is a testimony of the importance that Government places on the CCIs sector in matters of national development,” said Dube.

The CCIs have become essential for inclusive economic growth, reducing inequalities and achieving the goals set out in the National Arts and Culture Policy, National Culture and Creative Industries Strategy as well as vision 2030 as set out in the National Development Strategy 1(NDS1).

The theme for this years’ Culture Month is, “Celebrating cultural diversity, leaving no one and no place behind.”