Arts advocate Gora set for key role at PANAF Summit

As the African arts community converges on Zanzibar, Marcus Gora, manager of renowned music group Mookomba, is preparing to take centre stage at a crucial continental dialogue. Gora is confirmed as a moderator for the upcoming inaugural Pan African Network for Artistic Freedom (PANAF) Summit, scheduled for February 9 and 10.

The Summit, a significant milestone for the PANAF project launched in November 2021, aims to dissect policies and forge robust advocacy strategies for artistic freedom across Africa. Discussions will navigate both the unique local contexts of participating nations – including Nigeria, Gambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Ethiopia – and the broader global landscape.

Programme highlights promise rich discourse: a keynote address, a plenary session, and focused panel discussions tackling the “Challenges and Opportunities for Artistic Freedom on the Continent” and exploring the critical “Role of Government in Advancing Artistic Freedom.”

For Marcus Gora, this marks his third PANAF engagement, but his first in the pivotal role of moderator.
“I am incredibly honoured to serve as a moderator at this year’s Panaf summit. To lead a conversation on artistic freedom and the economic factors that dictate the pulse of free expression is a large responsibility.” Gora stated.

His experience managing Mookomba positions him uniquely to address the intersection of creative liberty and economic realities facing African artistes.

The Summit represents the evolution of the PANAF project, which has steadily built national networks over the past two years. This network thrives through collaboration with local partners – primarily civil society organisations within the cultural sector and national bodies representing artists.

Teshome Wondimu, Executive Director of Selam, the organisation behind PANAF, expressed strong enthusiasm for the inaugural Summit. “The Summit stands as a beacon for the exchange of ideas, fostering collaboration, and collectively advancing the cause of artistic freedom in Africa and beyond,” Wondimu declared.

He outlined an ambitious vision for the future: “We are starting small, but the vision is to grow the PANAF Summit into an annual platform, for a continuous dialogue on issues related to artistic freedom on the continent between stakeholders and policy makers. The goal is to provide a dynamic space for insights from around the globe, shaping the future of artistic expression in Africa and beyond.”

Wondimu emphasised the Summit’s significance as a proactive force, building on PANAF’s foundational work. “With the PANAF project, we have managed to create a platform for collaboration, serving as a proactive force in raising awareness about incidents involving violations of artistic freedom,” he remarked. – Follow on X @MbuleloMpofu