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Senior Arts Reporter
Organisers for the eighth edition of the annual International Literature Festival have said that the show will be held for three days.
Known as LitFest Harare 2021, the festival, which will begin on November 24 to November 27, will be conducted virtually in line with the Covid-19 regulations and restrictions for some programmes, while for the physical audience, it will be at Theatre in the Park.
This year’s theme is “Healing” and will showcase literature, art, discussions and performances that highlight and celebrate the power of words in healing, bridging communities and building peace.
Festival director, Chirikure Chirikure, spoke on why healing was chosen as the central focus of LitFest Harare 2021: “The world is trying to heal. More conversations on dealing with the painful past have been opening up. Some want restitution for colonial plunder and injustice.
“The wrongs of historic economic and physical genocides that inflicted personal and communal wounds are being called into the light.”
Chirikure said Covid-19 gave them a lesson on how to be creative.
“We are still currently grappling with the Covid-19 and it has also brought into sharp focus the need for stronger institutions and common platforms for collaboration on building peace and stability in our world,” he said.
“The festival seeks to contribute to this pivotal discourse by putting healing, peace building and conflict transformation at the centre of this year’s edition. We are grateful to our long standing local and international partners whose support enabled us to put the festival together, besides the challenges the world is going through. In particular, we appreciate the support from the UNESCO Desk of the University of Glasgow, the University of Glasgow, and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
LitFest Harare 2021 will host participants from all over the world including Germany, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zambia, Cameroon, Ghana and Scotland.
“Speeches, discussions and workshops will be virtual, while live events will include a poetry slam, theatre performances and a music concert to be held on the closing day at Theatre in the Park in Harare,” said Chirikure.
“The 2021 festival programme includes a keynote address by Professor Robert Muponde from Wits University in South Africa on the opening night, a plethora of panel discussions, book reviews and performances, a poetry slam for young poets, as well as a closing day concert headlined by mbira queen, Tendai Mavengeni (Zimbabwe) and poet/artist, Jessie James La Fleur (Belgium/Germany).
“The closing concert will be run in partnership with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
There will also be a series of workshops for artists and arts and culture practitioners on the Twitter Spaces platform throughout the festival.
Online Reporter