Q to star in Africa Day poetry festival

One of Malawi's celebrated poets Q Malewezi is among 31 African artists taking part in the launch of a new poetry feast called Afr[we]ka Poetry Festival.
Four shows have been lined up in three cities of South Africa for the event which is part of the Africa Day celebrations on Friday.
"This Africa month, we breathe new life into the spirit of Ubuntu as the Department of Arts and Culture in partnership with the Word N Sound Live Literature Company aim to put 'We' in Africa.
"We therefore launch the Afr[we]ka Festival which will look to sway swiftly into the swing of Africa month from May 21 to 31. The events will be in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein," says Word N Sound CEO and Afr[we]ka Poetry Festival director Thabiso Mohare.
The festival brings together some of South Africa's most celebrated voices and pairs them with selected voices from the breadth of the Sadc region to sound positive vibrations that will echo throughout Africa.
"Inspired by the vision of nurturing a new national mindset that employs an intercontinental approach to understanding Africa, its cultures and challenges-the Afr[we]ka Poetry Festival forms part of the department's response to the questions: Who and what is Africa?
"By putting 'WE' in Africa, the festival seeks to address these questions by reverberating the theme for this month's celebrations in an attempt to remind us that, 'We Are Africa'. It invokes and celebrates the emotive power and influence of the spoken and written word to foster understanding and unity in the continent, while attempting to create a more holistic African identity through collaboration," adds Mohare.
In true Africa Month spirit, the Afr[we]ka Poetry Festival, by bringing together poets from all walks of Africa, allows for a meaningful dialogue to take place by opening the doors of learning and culture to promote peace and friendship.
Q will perform at tomorrow's event at the Pretoria State Theatre.
He will be joined by TJ Dema from Botswana, Makhafula Vilakazi, Koleka Putuma, Thuli Zuma, Lesego Rampolokeng and Afurakan from South Africa.
"I am excited to be part of the event," said the poet.
Not only does the festival focus on the message of unity, it also ties in with the vision of strengthening cultural, socio-economic and political integration among African nations.