Malawi is participating in a Sound Connects Fund (SCF) conference in Maputo, Mozambique.
The country is flying its flag at the conference through key cultural institutions such as Music Crossroads Malawi, Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma), Zomba Arts Platform, Ntha Foundation and University of Malawi.
The gathering, which ends on Saturday, pulled together 36 projects from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region marking the culmination of the three-year project.
A statement says that conference programme offers people an opportunity to learn from the experiences of SCF beneficiaries while also offering keynote presentations, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and showcases of products of the SCF-funded actions.
The event is strategically organised in Maputo during the annual Marrabenta Festival, which has partnered with the SCF conference.
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Between 2021 and 2023, SCF awarded more than €2.8m to 36 organisations in Angola, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Funding from SCF saw the creation and successful implementation of diverse development projects in sectors such as music, theatre, visual arts, gaming, animation and fashion, all connected by sound.
As part of the project, SCF also offered a robust capacity-building programme to all grantees and collected useful learnings and information from different countries.
SCF, implemented by Music in Africa and sponsored by Goethe Institut, APC-EU Culture Programme and Siemens Stiftung, has played a pivotal role in supporting and promoting cultural endevours in the region.
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The Malawian delegation, which also includes musician Wendy Harawa, is presenting a diverse array of cultural projects executed over the past three years, highlighting the nation’s rich cultural tapestry.
Featured projects include Music for Malawi, Zomba City Festival 2023, Sula Project by University of Malawi, Music Business School by Music Crossroads Malawi and Malawi Digital Archive by Cosoma.
“These initiatives showcase Malawi’s commitment to fostering creativity and preserving its cultural heritage,” the statement reads.
It further says that Malawi’s presence at the conference underscores the dedication of cultural enterprises to cultural development and collaboration on the international stage.
The statement says the delegation eagerly anticipates engaging with fellow participants, sharing insights and fostering future partnerships to continue nurturing the cultural landscape in Malawi and the broader Sadc region.
Music Crossroads Malawi Direct Mathews Mfune bemoaned the end of the project.
“It is a blow because we needed to scale up on the positives. However, we understand and I think for those of us, who had a good plan, it has helped to integrate the activities into our daily programme.
“So, it was a big boost and we really appreciate the support from the fund,” he said.
