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Peter Matika, Senior Life Reporter
A NEW pageant driven by the desire to promote Zimbabwe’s culture and traditions has been formed.
Fashioned on the premise of reviving and promoting local heritage and traditions, Miss Culture Zimbabwe, seeks to have Zimbabweans appreciate local cultures and traditions.
A board member and trustee of the pageant Soneni Gwizi told Sunday Life that the pageant was not just about flaunting beauty but a unique, prestigious and afro-centric event that sought to promote cultural preservation and pride.
“The pageant is built on a foundation of cultural diversity. It is about cultural identity, celebrating what makes us Zimbabwean and affording women the space to define their uniqueness and what it means to be beautiful culturally,” she said.
Miss Culture Zimbabwe, which is headquartered in Bulawayo, was formed in August 2016, under the Miss Culture Trust.
The organisation held a clean-up campaign in July this year, in a bid to promote the event.
“We also look forward to donating books to Bulawayo City Council and having more community related events. We will also be participating at the Scripture Union sports tournament to be held soon. It is a campaign against alcoholism and substance abuse,” added Gwizi. She said unlike other pageants Miss Culture Zimbabwe was built on a foundation of cultural inclusion and celebration of cultural diversity.
“It is about cultural identity, celebrating what makes us Zimbabweans. The pageant is run by Miss Culture Trust and will have provincial contests across the country, where a queen will be ultimately crowned to become an ambassador,” said Gwizi.
She said Miss Culture Zimbabwe sought to also encourage the country to celebrate and promote culture to connect with others, appreciate its diversity and promote a shared tolerance and respect for diversity.
“We value ubuntu, purpose, creativity, uprightness, excellency and hard work. Our main areas of focus will be education and awareness programmes, community development and charity work, advocacy and promoting local tourism, where we seek to see Bulawayo rise to becoming a hub of culture and heritage,” said Gwizi.
She added that Miss Culture Zimbabwe would soon be hosting auditions.
“ . . . Our queen should be cultured, well groomed, knowledgeable and confident, patriotic and afro-centric among many other qualities,” she said. — @peterkmatika
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu