Malawi National Dance Troupe is expected to leave the country today for India where they will star at the 34th Annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela Festival.
A letter dated January 16 2020 and signed by Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bertrand Khanyizira, says the government of India would like Malawi’s participation at the 34th Annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela Festival scheduled for February 1-16.
According to one of the members travelling with the MacDonald Maluwaya, the Malawi cultural delegation is expected back on February 22 and that it was made up of Malawi National Dance Troupe, a fine artist by the name of Lawrence Daka and nsasi player Patrick Chimbewa.
The delegation is made up of 15 members.
“This is a big international arts and crafts festival whose first edition was in 1987. It is renowned for its ability to attract lovers of arts and crafts from all over the world. In 2015 for instance, it was attended by about 1.2 million people of whom 16,000 were foreigners,” Maluwaya said.
He said the festival serves as a unique platform for countries to showcase their diverse cultures and uphold the ideals of the 2005 Unesco Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions which encourages dialogue among different cultures.
“Malawi represented by the 15 member cultural delegation is well set to showcase the country’s rich and diverse culture through folk songs, dance, music and visual arts,” Maluwaya said.
The trip also comes barely a week after the country through the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture through the Department of Arts held a refresher workshop on the 2005 Unesco Convention with a particular focus on the role of civil society.
