Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi will be the guest of honour at the KUZANA Creative Economy Conference, set to be held at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo on October 8.
The conference, which will be held at the exhibition centre’s Hall 2, forms part of the inaugural KUZANA Sport and Creative Economy Expo of Zimbabwe (SCEEZ), which runs from October 7 to 11.
VP Mohadi will officially open the conference, which brings together policymakers, investors, development partners and players in Zimbabwe’s creative industries.
The conference will focus on how the creative economy can be developed into a viable source of investment, employment and economic growth.
Two panel discussions are lined up, with the first focusing on “Investing in Zimbabwe’s Creative Economy — Unlocking Capital, Markets and Growth”, while the second will examine “Building Competitive Creative Value Chains and ecosystems.”
Among the panellists listed on the programme are Nayef H. Al-Fayez who is UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, British Council Regional Arts Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Mrs Farai Ncube, Zimtrade chief executive officer Allan Majuru, Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency chief legal officer Theresa Muchinguri, and Gerald Ngonyamo, Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations at Choice.
The conference comes as the Government seeks to increase the economic contribution of sport, arts, culture and other creative industries.
The KUZANA initiative is being positioned as a platform to connect talent with capital, investors, brands, institutions and audiences, with the broader objective of moving creative and sporting talent “from talent to GDP.
KUZANA SCEEZ is being held under the theme “Towards Vision 2030 through Sports and Creative Industries.”
The five-day programme includes exhibitions, conferences, workshops, masterclasses, sporting activities and investment and sponsorship engagements.
The inaugural expo is being organised in partnership with Nhimbe Trust, with the ZITF among the host partners.
In a statement, Nhimbe Trust describes the gathering as a sport, creative economy and investment convening.
“The event is expected to provide a platform for creatives, entrepreneurs and investors to discuss access to finance, markets, intellectual property, professionalisation and the development of sustainable creative businesses.
“The creative economy encompasses a wide range of activities, including music, film, fashion, visual arts, design, digital content and other creative enterprises. The sector can create opportunities not only for artistes themselves but also for producers, technicians, marketers, event managers, technology companies and other service providers,” reads part of the statement.
The wider KUZANA expo is expected to attract more than 150 exhibitors.
Blessing Chizhande