MINISTRY AIMS FOR INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION

MBABANE – The Minister of Sports Culture and Youth Affairs, Bongani Nzima, says their major aim is to develop international participation either in festivals or competitions.

This was revealed in the ministry’s portfolio committee debate of the ministry’s first quarter performance report for the financial year 2024/2025 dated August 12. The minister revealed their major plan after Ndzingeni Member of Parliament (MP) Gcina Magagula had cautioned the ministry to invest in talent grooming. “Invest in talent grooming and exportation of our culture to the international community,” Magagula said. Minister Nzima replied in a written response, saying they are on a course to develop international participation in festivals. “Our major programming is on talent identification, and the intention is to develop for international participation either in festivals or competitions. Encouragement from honourable members is received with much appreciation,” Nzima said.

Nation

According to the Eswatini National Arts and Culture Policy, festivals bring people from different walks of life together in an effort to promote, preserve and showcase cultural issues. “The nation, through relevant bodies, should make a deliberate attempt to ensure festivals are vigorously employed in order to showcase aspects of the valued Eswatini culture. The state shall take such policy measures as are necessary to attract private sector investment in festivals as well as facilitate their commercialisation in order to ensure their viability and sustainability,” reads the Arts Policy.

It is known that the Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Youth Affairs, alongside the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC), has been trying to expose local creatives abroad. For example, they have attended the 36th and 37th editions of the Surakund International Crafts Mela, where they brought award-winning Gospel musician Linda Dlamini and Gqom musician M Nation to represent the kingdom. This international festival is hosted annually in India, it is a unique showcase of the richness and diversity of handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India. It is the largest crafts fair in the world and is organised by the Surajkund Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.This year, the ministry, in collaboration with ENCAC, reaped the fruits of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which they signed with South Africa’s Shelembe Aphiwe Productions, as they attended the Durban Cultural Exchange, which gave birth to the unique trending song ‘Africa Unite,’ which was recorded by local artists together with Shelembe Aphiwe artists.

Headhunted

The local artists featured in the song are M Nation, Scuveve, legendary musician Mshikishi, and ‘ama2000’ hitmaker Samu Once Again. Currently, the ministry and ENCAC are set to attend the upcoming KwaZulu World Carnival, whose date is yet to be announced. The carnival will be attended by young people from all four corners of the kingdom after being headhunted by ENCAC during this year’s Africa Day celebrations, which were hosted successfully across the kingdom.

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