Cultural Week concluded in style

FRIDAY evening was an exciting moment at Amahoro Stadium’s Petit Stade in Remera as the cultural week, organised by the Ministry of Sports and Culture (MINISPOC) came to an end.The closing day of the event which started on November 19 started with an exhibition which brought together various art and cultural exhibitors.An assortment of Art and Crafts, sculptures, ancient history, apparels, Rwandan movie collections, music, printed materials and historical archives among other artefacts, provided a spectacle for people to marvel at.The closing ceremony began at 6:30pm, with energetic performances by various cultural troupes including the National Ballet - Urukerereza which wowed the crowd with refined traditional dances and impressive drumming.The night also featured a fashion exhibition, during which collections by Francis Zahabu designer were showcased. There was also a lecture on traditional and cultural Rwandan dress code by prominent traditional singers who included Susana Nyiranyamibwa, Masamba Intore, Jean Paul Samputu and Damas Mutagoma.Wrapping up Friday’s event was another performance delivered by some of the country’s famous musicians Samputu and Masamba, who thrilled the crowd with their well-popular songs-such as Nyaruguru, among others.Sophia Zayisenga played a ‘trough-zither’, locally known as the Inanga, in an exciting performance that left many asking for more.In his closing remarks, the Minister of Sports and Culture, Protais Mitali, thanked the event’s organisers and the participants as well as the media for a job well done.Mitali urged the youth to always know how to separate Rwandan culture from other cultures and appreciate it and only embrace cultures that add value to society.The 2nd edition of the Cultural Week was organised to give all Rwandans an opportunity to appreciate their culture and also to meditate on how this culture can be developed in all aspects. This year’s theme was: Umuco; Isoko y’iterambere- (Culture, a source of development). According to Alphonse Mulisa, Director General, Institute of National Museums of Rwanda the Cultural Week, which was averagely attended, gave Rwandans an opportunity to learn about their past, though many did not exploit it.“This is the only time and opportunity that Rwandans learn and understand their history,” said Mulisa.

Leisure

Cultural Week concluded in style