JAMAFEST (Jamuhuri ya Africa Mashiriki Utamaduni Festival)

February
Genre : Festival
Principal country concerned : Column : Music, Dance, Heritage, Arts and crafts

The EAC aims at widening and deepening co-operation among the Partner States in, among others, political, economic and social fields for their mutual benefit, and the EAC hopes to achieve some of these ends through well-organized and coordinated arts and cultural activities. In this regard, the 23rd Council of Ministers held in September 2011 directed the EAC Secretariat to organize a regular EAC arts and culture festival that would be hosted by Partner States on a rotational basis.

Consequently, Partner States were invited to express interest in hosting the first edition of the EAC Arts and Culture Festival, which Rwanda was selected to host in June 2012. The Regional Steering Committee-set up to coordinate the Festival-in August 2012 christened the Festival JAMAFEST, which is the short form of Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki Utamaduni Festival.

The first edition of Jamafest is scheduled to be held from 9th - 16th February 2013 at various venues in Rwanda.

Festival Vision

Promote socio cultural integration through arts and culture.

Festival Theme

The theme of the Festival is: Fast tracking integration through the creative industry.

Festival Objectives

1. To bring East African artists together to share, learn and connect the EAC cultures through the arts and accelerate development through the creative industry.
2. To foster EAC socio-cultural integration by harmonizing differences and promoting similarities and thus, bridging borders to create one community.
3. To provide a space where East African artists can share and exchange ideas on various challenges affecting the industry and come up with effective ways to establish high standards of professionalism for the same.
4. To foster the economic development of the EAC community through creating a market for the arts.
5. To promote arts and culture as a tool of communication.
6. To increase the understanding of the benefits of the East African Community to its member states.

Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
  • FURTHER ARTS
  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

With the support of