To celebrate the collaboration between the creative industries and the global health field, the University of Global Health Equity is organising the ‘Hamwe Festival’, scheduled for November 8-13.
The festival aims to provide an enabling environment for strong collaborations between the creative and health sectors, so that new insights into global health challenges and their corresponding solutions can be found.
‘Hamwe’, Kinyarwanda for "together” or "unity”, was coined because the university believes that collaboration between global health professionals and creatives who share the same belief can achieve global health equity, if bridges across the sectors are built.
Injonge Karangwa, the chief organiser of the festival, believes that the artistes’ role in impacting people is not necessarily appreciated enough.
"We want the public to know that creativity can impact global health. They could have new ways to address health issues,” she told The New Times.
Ruth Nirere Shanel is scheduled to perform at the Hamwe festival.
She added: "Studies have shown that patients who have had surgery and listened to music use less pain killers than those who don’t”.
This, she explained, with regard to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health, which is the "State of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Karangwa is also of the view that people should learn about art therapy, a mental health profession that uses creative expression to promote emotional, mental and physical well-being.
For this reason, the festival will have various activities such as; Arts in Health Masterclass, where experts will share knowledge on using arts in addressing health issues, Hamwe Talks, where experts will share knowledge on how arts could contribute to the SDG’s, as well as Dance and Global Health, that will demonstrate dance as a tool to resolve physical and mental health issues.
On November 10, they will stage a concert dubbed "She matters”, headlined by Grammy Award Winning artiste Oumou Sangare. The 51-year-old Malian prominent singer will be celebrated because of her advocacy for women’s health and rights for decades.
Ruth Nirere, better known as Shanel, will also perform. Her recent song ‘Atura’, has encouraged the breaking of silence in Gender Based Violence victims, which Karangwa said is worth celebrating.
Several artistes from Mali, Zimbabwe, DRC and Rwanda will also perform. According to organisers, the festival will be an annual event.
The University of Global Health Equity is a health sciences university in Rwanda that was launched in September 2015.
editor@newtimesrwanda.com