Schools celebrate Culture Week

PUPILS from various schools across Manicaland Province yesterday took part in different cultural displays as part of the Culture Week festival that seeks to promote the Zimbabwean way of life in the education sector.

Culture Week is commemorated as part of the universal declaration on cultural diversity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), which declared May 21 as the World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

In Zimbabwe, the day is commemorated in a week-long festivities from May 19 to 25 in all provinces every year.

National Arts Council of Zimbabwe administration and finance officer Ms Silibaziso Mguni said Culture Week gave Zimbabweans an opportunity to reflect on their culture.

“This day is celebrated annually with different schools, organisations and institutions,” she said. “It encompasses traditional dancing, traditional displays, African attire dressing and as well as preparing traditional dishes.

“It does not look at the colour or creed of an individual. The Ministry of Education decided to build cultural centres for the benefit of the students to embrace their culture and take them back to where they came from.”

Ms Mguni said the week-long event would be commemorated under the theme “Culture: A Tool for Building Communities, Signifying Identity and a True Sense of Belonging”.

Mutare urban schools inspector Mr Edson Mapungwana, who was the guest of honour at the event, said schoolchildren should embrace their culture.

He said most learners embraced the culture at primary school level and usually neglected it as they grew older.

“Keep on embracing our culture especially as you grow in secondary school and beyond,” he said.

Zimbabwe International Schools Arts Festival Trust director Mr Taurai Moyo said there were plans to grow the footprint of the Culture Week to include students from South Africa and Zambia next year.

“To us it is a big advantage and as an organisation we are playing a big role in the education sector to help students embrace their culture,” he said.

“We came to this school so that we capacitate with students and teachers also. For next year, we are planning to have other students from different provinces as well as those in South Africa or Zambia to be part of us and join us in 2019 Cultural Week commemorations.”