Speech by Michael Nevin, British High Commissioner, on the occasion of Presentation of Credentials to Her Excellency Mrs. Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi

Your Excellency,

 

It is a great honour for me to take up my posting to the Republic of Malawi. Having served here previously, it was my wish to return to further experience your beautiful country and welcoming people, well named as the Warm Heart of Africa. The country has a special place in my heart and indeed in the affections of many people in the United Kingdom.

 

Our two countries have a deep and broad relationship. A central element is our shared objective to see Malawi lift itself out of poverty, to grow and develop. I have been struck by the great passion amongst the British public to support Malawi’s people to lead healthier, more educated and prosperous lives. Numerous schools, charities and organisations are working with their Malawi counterparts, developing mutual respect and understanding, with all sides benefitting enormously. This symbolizes the strong people-to-people links that bind us together: tens of thousands of Malawians live, work and study in the UK; more British tourists than from any other country visit Malawi; academic, school and sporting links are broad and thriving.

 

The British Government too has long worked in partnership with Malawi, particularly in pursuit of shared development goals. Our development assistance programme is broad and significant: helping to reduce the number of women who die too young, while increasing the ability of all Malawians to get medical help and medicines; helping Malawi youth to get the education they deserve; supporting access to clean water and sanitation; supporting farmers to grow food and get their produce to market; assisting Malawi’s state institutions and civil society to strengthen democracy and the application of the rule of law.

 

But there is more to our relationship. Our defence engagement is historic and strong, including UK training and infrastructure support that builds on the professionalism of the Malawi Army’s international peacekeeping work. We work together on regional and international political and conflict issues, including common global challenges such as climate change. We have a mutual interest in expanding UK-Malawi trade and investment beyond the current £60m in bilateral trade and significant UK investment that exists here in key sectors of the economy.

 

Your Excellency, you were able to participate in the celebrations of Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Development Secretary and Minister for Africa each made visits to Malawi in May and July respectively this year. These visits underlined our support for a revived UK-Malawi partnership following a difficult period in our diplomatic relations and a damaging downturn in Malawi’s governance. But even during those challenging times, my colleagues worked hard to encourage Malawi back to a more appropriate path of economic policy and democratic governance. The UK was the first donor to respond to your new Government’s positive efforts to address economic and democratic issues, quickly bringing forward £33 million in assistance to health, education and agriculture, which has since been followed up with further support of £25 million for health and food security.

 

My presence here represents the re-establishment of a full bilateral relationship, and in my short time here I have been welcomed with great enthusiasm as a symbol of Britain’s return. But the UK never abandoned Malawi, and we have every intention of developing the relationship further.

 

Your Excellency, I will champion Malawi in the UK and internationally. To do so, I need your Government’s help to demonstrate to all that our renewed confidence in Malawi is well founded; and that there is sustained political will to address the issues facing Malawi. We applaud the decisive steps you have taken to date, such as undertaking a difficult but necessary devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha and the repeal of laws that restricted democracy and accountability. We welcome too your commitment to continue on the path towards further stabilization of the economy and food security, to create the conditions for growth, to strengthen the rule of law and democratic practice and to tackle corruption and unnecessary government expenditure. By delivering such an approach, Malawi will go from strength to strength, gaining furtherinternational plaudits and support. I am confident that the more dynamic your Government is in addressing the issues facing Malawi and its people, the more the international community will rally to Malawi’s cause. 

  

I look forward to a new era in our relations and will work hard to bring extra value to our partnership as we go forward together. I humbly request that you allow me to work with you, your Government and the people of Malawi towards a better future of benefit to both our countries.

 

PICTURES (BELOW) COURTESY OF THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION

President Joyce Banda and Michael Nevin sharing a point.jpg

Michael Nevin inspecting guard of honour.jpg

Michael Nevin signing the guests' book as his wife Sawako looks on.jpg

Michael Nevin (r) presenting his credentials to President Joyce Banda.jpg

Malawi Theatre: Re-living the Past, Exploring Resuscitation Chances

Shapeless Sea

By Richard Chirombo

So long a road.

This road where potholes are different,

And the hole in the road is not the problem.

This strange road,

A barren, bald-surfaced road where-

If the truth be spelled-

The potholes are the worn-out memories

Forgotten smiles,

Deserted stage peaks,

And worn out actors and actresses of old.

This road,

This strange road with strange:

Memories

Bald heads,

Unoccupied stage peaks,

Sullen actors and actresses

And a place so hollow it does not exist

- Is the path Malawi theatre embraced.

Mindless,

Nothingful,

And, now, what?

Regrets?

You get me there!

It is the path Malawi theatre so self-feelingly took.

A long water-way, one may say-

This waterway taken by the explorer in a small boat:

The waves raged,

Against his defenseless paddle,

The sun did on the explorer's bald-head scorchingly bite,

His hair, into dry grass whipping 

And this senselessness bringing.

The sailor did, over the boat, lose abidance,

As the seas under him escaped

His air

Ear

And eye-

To get so lost in the sea,

And the shore after the sea,

Fail to see,

Or with the lost waves plead.

- END- 

So long for now!  

The self-issued Malawi Theatre Death Certificate is about to be denounced.

Malawi’s golden generation of theatre performers has just revealed their plans to recoup the clout once held by the local English theatre industry.

Theatre goers, especially those of the first and second post-independence generation, remember the time French Cultural Centre Theatre, Malawi Professional Theatre Company, Wakhumbata Ensemble Theatre, Force Theatre, Alabama Theatre, Chancellor College Travelling Theatre, United Artists Drama Group which featured the likes of Sunduzwayo and Dingiswayo Madise, Paulendo Drama Group of Eliah Kamphinda Banda, among others, constantly released must watch productions.

One moment they are bubbling with life and, in no time, they are as inactive as in death.

Wakhumbata Ensemble Theatre’s (Wet) manager Khumbo Mhango, former Wet actor and Force Theatre founder Frank Patani Mwase, and Mkumbira Arts Theatre director, who is also a former Wet actor and current National Theatre Association of Malawi’s (Ntam) vice-president, Henry Ntalika, have revealed their intent to let Malawians recapture the olden days ‘live’ on stage in separate interviews.

Recalling the past

Most of the people who left a mark on the face of local theatre trace their roots to the Association for Teaching of English in Malawi (Atem), and this includes the venerated late Du Chisiza Jnr. Du along with the likes of Mwase, Waliko Makhala, are all linked to Henry Henderson Institute’s drama club.

While tracing their background to Atem festivals, a number of theatre performers also trace their prowess to starring with Du in Wet. These include Ntalika, Mwase and Twaya Sanudi (founder of Alabama Theatre).

Ntalika, who formed Mkumbira Arts in 1991, while still performing with Wet, dispelled assertions that local English theatre was on its death bed following the hibernation of once-vibrant groups.

“While it is true that once prominent groups are not as active as they used to be, that does not translate into the end of local theatre. It is wrong to pronounce that local theatre is dead simply because the groups that were there in the 80s or 90s are not there,” Ntalika argued.

Ntalika - the brains behind productions such as ‘Village Conflicts’, which was once featured in Steve Chimombo’s Wasi Magazine; Nyifwa, a Tumbuka-sounding though Chichewa production, and; ‘Emotional Judgement’ - said Malawians may as well take it on the chin that some of the groups that entertained the nation may never come back.

“What is important is not the names of the groups but the availability of talent in Malawi. The country has a lot of talented actors and actresses, but what has been lacking is motivation and the platform to express themselves through theatre. I think the media have also not helped, as they focus more on the negatives than the positives, and do not report extensively on developments taking place in the industry,” Ntalika said.

He, however, said the vibrancy of the companies that put theatre on the map could not be attributed to the availability of theatre organisations.

“The great theatre companies thrived under unfavourable conditions because the Southern Region Drama Association, whose first chairperson was Lali Lubani Jnr, with Charles Layman Kachitsa as secretary,   was established as recently as 1990. Ntam, on the other hand, was established in 2001. The most important thing is to have the platform,” he said.

Ntalika cited Tiwaonere National Drama Trophy, introduced by drama enthusiast Steven Mcheka- who also owned Tiwaonere Drama Group, as one of the initiatives that promoted local theatre. The sad thing is that after the inaugural trophy, scooped by Upile Drama Group, who were seconded by Nkumbira, Mcheka never came back with another national trophy.

One of the reasons behind the success of yester-year theatre could be the lack of platforms. With the platform restricted to the stage, theatre goers had no choice but visit the auditorium.

The Ntam vice-president said, however, the modern-day stage actor is pitted against unfavourable circumstances.

“The coming in of free-to-air Digital Satellite Television, which has prompted others to start producing movies; the proliferation of radio theatre; the proliferation of Nigerian films, and the quest for money, now threaten the dominance of stage theatre.

“But it is technology that has, actually, stolen that unique state and fun out of theatre,” Ntalika observed.

Facing the future

Ntalika, in his capacity as Ntam Vice-President, says, however, that “the best is not past us; the best is yet to come”.

“You can take my own example. I have been acting since 1986, and am still in the industry. What has happened is not the death of theatre per se, but actors in the industry have found other means of showing their talent.

“Actors and actresses are now hired to do theatre for development in rural areas. A lot more actors, including myself, are acting through radio and television plays, as opposed to the old way of doing things: stage performances,” Ntalika, who acts the Mfumu Mitekete character in Mbali Yanga soap operas.

Mbali Yanga is a radio play broadcast on a number of local stations.

On his part, Mwase said he has been working underground with other veterans and is billed to hit the stage before year-end.

The veteran actor concurred with Ntalika on the point that it is not about actors using the old, famous names that is the issue; rather, he said, it boils down to the brains behind the production.

“But it is not the name (of the theatre company) that matters. What matters is the name behind the same. So, even if we come back under the name Force Theatre or another name, it will still be a Frank Mwase production.

“In fact, we may even come up with a new name … I don’t know. We will see what happens,” Mwase said.

Wet director, Khumbo Mhango, also said he had been concocting something for theatre lovers.

“We have been working on something with Mwase but we have not finalised our discussions. We are working on modalities for a project,” Mhango said.

A source linked to Alabama Theatre, while maintaining that the group was not defunct, attributed the group’s inactivity to Twaya’s move to South Africa.    

   

Malawi Theatre: The Way It Was, The Way It Is, The Way It Should Be

It was supposed to be a perpetual boom that would carry us on. From a passive hobby before 1980, English theatre rose to the status of a vacation between 1981 and 1994. The country was, then, dotted with accomplished actors.

Then, after 1994, the enthusiasm faltered, and English theatre has been struggling to occupy the position it once held in our hearts.

However, veteran actor Frank Patani Mwase still believes that the sweet path once-trodden by the likes of Du Chizisa Jnr., Mwase himself, Kamdoni Nyasulu, Chris Kamlongera, Edge Kanyongolo, among others, can be re-tarred. 

“The problem we have,” says Mwase, “is that commercialization has taken the quality out of theatre in that the artist does not benefit, while quality and talent are disregarded by those who benefit from the process.”

Now, the tragedy with ignoring talent and quality is, to quote inspirational author Adam Smith, that “Unless those few…happen to be placed is some very particular situations, their great abilities, though honourable to themselves, may contribute very little to the good government or happiness of their society”.

The other problem, ironically, is theatre for development (TfD. Mwase says TfD should not be mixed up with other forms of theatre as, “by promoting functional literacy at a very basic level, creativity loses out”.

Then, there is the issue of great artists having nothing to show for their sweat and lack of proper venues.

“After 48 years of independence, Blantyre still has no suitable theatre venue. With due respect, Robin’s Park is good, but it was not built with the artist in mind. The place should have proper lights, curtains, and exit points.”

After all these, brain-drain will see fine arts’ graduates from the university scrambling for financial opportunities elsewhere- leaving this enormous hole of blackness in Malawi’s theatre orbs.

“Piracy is another facet. People freely pirate artists’ work and, then, laugh when the artist dies poor,” he says.

The way it begun

Mwase’s theatre interest started at four years during in an Easter play co-acted with his brother. He, then, got baptized into theatre when he attended an Association for Teaching English in Malawi (Atem) festival at Blantyre Teachers College (BTC).

He liked Dr. James Ng’ombe production ‘The King’s Spiral’, as presented by Chichiri Secondary School students. Then, between 1981 and 1982, Mwase found himself testing the drama ropes when he acted in HHI’s ‘Servant of two masters’.

But the defining moment came when, while in Form One, he met Waliko Makhala- then a member of H.H.I.’s drama club. Makhala was rehearsing for ‘The deceased’s attack’.

“I was a silent member of that cast. That is when I met the late Du Chisiza Jnr.,” he says.

‘The deceased’s attack’ eventually won the Atem festival.

That is how Wakhumbata Workshop Theatre was formed. Du left for further studies, Mwase became chairperson of the group, and, with Waliko, toured districts such as Karonga and Mzuzu.

Drawing the audience

The French Cultural Centre (FCC) then joined the fray, with ‘That scoundrel Moliere’ production in 1983 becoming FCC’s debut production.  The late Jika Mkolokosa and Paul Paseli were part of the cast.

In 1984, Mwase acted in FCC’s ‘That would be gentleman’. The play was directed by Kamdoni Nyasulu. He also acted in ‘Chauta’s wrath’, directed by Nyasulu but scripted by Chris Kamlongera.

“In the formative years, only the ‘cultural afternoon’- a mixed event that featured poetry, music, drama- drew multitudes,” he says.

After Wakhumbata Workshop Theatre came groups such as the FCC Theatre, later renamed Cultural Advancement Theatre. That is how Paul Paseli production, ‘Mine by convenience’, came to grace the local theatre stage.

In 1987, Mwase and Du joined up again to form Malawi Professional Theatre Company. The group later paved way for Tiwuke Performing Arts, whose benefactor was Bazuka Mhango.

It is Tiwuke that turned into Wakhumbata Ensemble Theatre (Wet).

“It was not easy to attract a huge audience in 1987 because Chichewa plays were popular.

“However, the auditorium was full during our first performance. Of course, it was a small auditorium- accommodating 245 people,” he says.

Mwase says, due to the restrictive political situation of the time, “drama was more than entertainment; it was more figurative”.

“Our productions were political in nature and we could tackle issues we cannot tackle now. We did a lot of marketing, and the performances used to be hectic that we could do six performances in four days.

“Eventually, we became popular and could disrupt normal classes at secondary schools,” Mwase says.

The problem with mentoring

Why, then, after  embracing great artists such as Viphwa Harawa, Edge Kanyongolo, Mwase himself, continuity seems to be a major problem?

“Mentoring is a difficult thing to do in the Malawian set up because it is not instutionalised. There are no programmes meant to nurture talent.”

Mwase also says mentoring the new generation has been a challenge because “we were ahead of our time”.

“So, as they say, in the absence of wise men, even fools can rule.”

He says economic factors have also drawn most veterans away from the stage.

“You can be a very famous person but, economically, you are not progressing and, at the end of the day, you go back to your poverty. If life cannot be found in art, you go elsewhere,” he says.

Mwase also draws stark differences between modern-day Atem and the Atem of old.

“It has to do with the quality of what we are doing. In those days, Atem enjoyed the support of politicians and administrators such that politically-intonated plays such as ‘The deceased attack’ could be performed before Member of Parliament after scooping Atem awards.

“These days, if you go to watch an Atem play, you must be a parent to one of the students,” he says.

Intellectual discourse versus stage act

He adds that, in the past, the academia and arts groups had strong relations, and this contributed to the theatre boom.

Mwase says Chancellor College Travelling Theatre also promoted fine arts. And that is how names such as Lupenga Mphande and Mupa Shumba- figures associated with establishment of Chanco’s fine arts department- quickly come to mind.

The names Mphande and Shumba spearheaded quality among Atem contestants, and artists wrote plays with the knowledge that their scripts would pass through the critical eyes and minds of Chanco lecturers at the back of their minds.

“The level of judgement and analysis in Atem festivals was top level. While patrons waited for results, Chancellor College Travelling Theatre could perform.

“Even if you were not at Chanco, you could mingle with these people and read top notch books. We could read such books as Wole Soyinka’s ‘The swamp dwellers’. Malawi was going through a cultural renaissance and this is the time the Wokomaatani Malungas were coming to light,” Mwase says.

This bond between the academia and performing arts was strategic: Chanco offered courses in performing art while arts groups offered the graduates the stage to perfect their game.

The calling past

Mwase denies that he has retired from the game.

“Good memories are better than a current disaster. However, we have been working behind the scenes with some of the veterans. We want to come back before the end of the year,’ he says.

This means that theatre-goers will be entertained to plays such as the 1989 production, ‘The Fragments’. The Times of 1989 praised Mwase’s performance, but rated other actors’ performance poorly.

Mwase chooses to differ. “’The fragments’, initially, was not understood because people were used to experimental theatre and wanted straight plays. Actually, we were supposed to perform ‘The me nobody knows’, a Du Chisiza production that was dealing with the sensitive subject of incest, but that play was banned by the Censorship Board.”

In the play, Mwase played more than 10 characters. In one instance, he was ‘Mbale’, in the other he played a prophetic role, then an unborn baby in its mother’s womb, a standup comedian, a street smart character from Blantyre Ndirande township, and so on.

By coming back, he says, the veterans want “go back to that basic understanding of theatre as a movement and rekindle the spirit of old to ensure that we export quality”.

Only then, may be, can the theatre ball fall on the nation with equal violence, giving it the potent of staying power, again.

Zachimalawi's Pick

Two years ago, I went to the Chichiri Trade Fair grounds- owned by the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry; the place former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, visited on Friday last week.

I did not go to the Trade Fair grounds to sample goods on display. No, it was not yet Trade Fair season.

I went there to buy books- fiction and non-fiction- from Development Aid from People to People shop. I remember buying 10 books -I actually buy four books a day; I just love buying books and reading them. To say the truth, I now have a collection of 110,000 books, neatly stacked in sacks.

One of the books is a black-covered book with the title '110 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers' by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn.

I read the book through-and-through two years ago. Now I am reading again. I am sleeping late now, because I am feeling so sad inside. So sad reading the book.

On Page 233, paragraph 2, under the sub-title 'You Don't Understand', (for that is where I am, in my re-reading) I have found the following passage. It has left a mark in my life because it is symbolic.

That, too, is our (Zachimalawi's) pick today. It goes:

  
.................................................................................................................
A light appeared- someone must have had a flashlight- and with the
emergence of that single beam came sounds: groans and coughs and
people saying, 'I'm over here'. One voice found another, then more,
aural links that became a hand on a shoulder that led to a hand on
yet another shoulder: a sputtering human chain that shuffled toward
where the escalator had been---Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn, from the
non-fiction book '102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to
Survive Inside The Twin Towers.

Malawi Cultural Festival (MaCFest) 2012

Dates

The 2012 Malawi Cultural Festival (MaCFest) will be celebrated alongside this year’s Tourism Week. Confirmed dates for the festival are Saturday 22^nd September to Sunday 23^rd September.

Venues & Times

Venues are Civo Stadium and Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe. Performances and Exhibitions shall start from 8 in the morning till late.

Except for a few selected performances and exhibitions the festival will be free of charge. More details on gate charges and times will be communicated soon.

Festival is Official Opening

MaCFest Official Launch will be on Saturday 22^nd September in the Great Sapitwa Hall at Crossroads Hotel. The event is scheduled for 8 in the morning to noon and will feature performances by Chindime and Samalani, Parker Town Band and music by Ben Mankhamba. Entry is absolutely free!

MaCFest Categories

This year’s MaCFest categories, which aim at offering family entertainment and educational experience, shall include Dance; Fashion; Film; Music; Poetry; Theatre; Traditional children’s games, stories and songs as well as Visual arts.

Highlights

·         Dance           Gulewamkulu “4 Engine” from Dowa and the versatile Malawi

National Dance Troupe

 

·         Fashion         Lilly Alfonso straight from London & Clemoh

 

·         Film                 Film Association of Malawi (FAMA)                 

 

·         Music             Black Missionaries, Ndingo Brothers Band & Ethel Kamwendo –

Banda   

 

·         Poetry            Anchored by Que Malewezi featuring Nyamalikiti Nthiwatiwa,

Up and coming Duwa Mvula & Felix Njonjonjo Katsoka              

 

·         Theatre          The Ever Green Kwathu & Nanzikambe

 

·         Visual Arts     Eva Chikabadwa, Noah Kapitapita, Peter Masina and the

Mouth Painter Chayera

 

Food & Beverage

Stalls shall be erected within Civo Stadium where patrons shall be able to buy some local food, including snacks and meals, of their choice at affordable prices.

Non alcoholic beverages shall also be available for sell and in addition Southern Bottlers shall give the youths a chance to test the rebranded coke for free!

Festival Cloth

The festival cloth can be found at Mapeto David Whitehead & Sons at affordable prices.

Sponsors

This premier edition of the Malawi Cultural Festival will be brought to you courtesy of Malawi Government in collaboration with the National AIDS Commission (NAC), SANA Cash & Carry, Bishop SIMAMA, Lilongwe City Assembly, Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) and Southern Bottlers Limited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information get in touch with MaCFest official Spokesperson James Thole on 00265 999 279 625 email jmsthole@yahoo.com. You can also log in to MaCFest facebook page for regular updates and comments. Remember to visit the tourism website www.visitmalawi.mw for general information.

Launch of Rule of Law in Malawi report by International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute

The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) presents its fact-finding report 'Rule of law in Malawi: The road to recovery' on Monday, 3rd September 17:30 - 19:00 at Crossroads Hotel, Mchinji Round-About, Crossroads Complex, Lilongwe, Malawi.
The report follows the visit of a high-level delegation of legal experts’ to Malawi in January 2012, to assess the state of the rule of law in the country.
Since the IBAHRI undertook the mission, Malawi’s political landscape has changed dramatically.
The IBAHRI report considers progress already made in Malawi’s ‘road to recovery’, since January 2012, as well as highlighting important areas of reform still needed to complete Malawi’s journey. The IBAHRI’s report will be available to those attending the debate and the report will subsequently be available online via the IBAHRI website www.ibanet.org .

Speakers
INOZIVA BERE -Attorney_, _President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, IBAHRI mission delegate_
MARSHAL CHILENGA -Commissioner, Malawi Human Rights Commission_
JOHN-GIFT MWAKHWAWA -Attorney, President of the Malawi Law Society_

Moderator __
RICHARD LEE _Communications Manager, Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).

AFRICAN UNION BUSINESS: 3RD PAN AFRICAN CULTURAL CONGRESS ADOPTS FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 31 August 2012- The 3rd Pan­ African Cultural Congress (PACC3), which was being held at the African Union in Addis Ababa under the theme: "Culture, Societies and Sustainable Development" from 28 to 30 August 2012, has ended with the adoption of a framework for action. The purpose of the congress was to create a platform for cultural practitioners to dialogue and make recommendations on the importance of culture for the sustainable development.

The congress was officially closed by the Director of Social Affairs at the African Union Commission Dr Olawale Maiyegun, in the presence of the Director of the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) Professor Sozinho Matsinhe.

In the action plan, participants at the congress noted and underscored a number of priorities and actions in the promotion of culture as a tool for development. The priorities fell under the following broad categories: promotion of culture as a tool for sustainable development; legal and cultural policy environment; African culture as a vehicle for transformation and development; cultural statistics- the missing link; the creative economy and sustainable development; culture as the fourth pillar for sustainable development; and cooperation on cultural and creative industries.

The theme of the congress, "Culture, Societies and Sustainable Development", brought renewed reflection on the role that culture can play in the development of the African continent. For at least forty (40) years, the notion of the 'cultural dimension of development' - that culture is integral to development, and that cultural development and planning must be incorporated into and cut across other sectors such as economic, social and human development has been recognized internationally and within Africa.

Culture, as the fourth pillar for sustainable development, addresses the relation between culture and sustainable development through dual means: firstly, the development of the cultural sector itself (i.e. heritage, creativity, cultural industries, crafts, cultural tourism); and secondly, ensuring that culture has its rightful place in all public policies, particularly those related to education, the economy, science, communication, environment, social cohesion and international cooperation.

The 3rd Pan-African Cultural Congress provided an opportunity for, cultural experts and practitioners to make inputs on how culture can complement government efforts in achieving growth and development on the continent. The outcomes of the Congress (Report and Framework for Action) will be submitted to the 4th Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers of Culture to be held in Kinshasa, DRC from 29th October to 2nd November 2012. The first and the second Pan-African Cultural Congresses were held under the following themes: 'Culture, Integration and African Renaissance”; and “Inventory Protection and Promotion of African Cultural Goods," respectively.

Participants consisted of cultural policy makers, practitioners, administrators, educators/ academicians, designers, creators, producers, critics, entrepreneurs, researchers, African and international inter-governmental and nongovernmental organisations; associations and networks, regional and international cultural organizations; development partners of the African Union and diplomatic missions based in Addis Ababa.- SOURCE: DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

FLASHBACK: CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT HELD TO PROMOTE PAN AFRICANISM AND AFRICAN RENAISSANCE

PIC: AU's DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 28 August 2012- The African Union Commission today hosted an entertainment and cultural event as part of its 3^rd Pan African Cultural Congress (PACC3). The congress is being held at the AU headquarters in Addis, from the 28^th to 30^th August.

The event gave delegates an opportunity to visit an exhibition titled “Promoting Together the African Cultural Renaissance”, which was put together by the African Union Commission’s Department of Social Affairs in collaboration with the German Embassy, and the GIZ.

Speaking at the entertainment event, the Commissioner for Social Affairs of the African Union, Advocate Bience Gawanas expressed the hope that the artworks on exhibition would contribute to the development of African nations as well as promoting the spirit of Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance.

Launch of Rule of Law in Malawi report by International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute

The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) presents its fact-finding report 'Rule of law in Malawi: The road to recovery' on Monday, 3rd September 17:30 - 19:00 at Crossroads Hotel, Mchinji Round-About, Crossroads Complex, Lilongwe, Malawi.
The report follows the visit of a high-level delegation of legal experts’ to Malawi in January 2012, to assess the state of the rule of law in the country.
Since the IBAHRI undertook the mission, Malawi’s political landscape has changed dramatically.
The IBAHRI report considers progress already made in Malawi’s ‘road to recovery’, since January 2012, as well as highlighting important areas of reform still needed to complete Malawi’s journey. The IBAHRI’s report will be available to those attending the debate and the report will subsequently be available online via the IBAHRI website www.ibanet.org .

Speakers
INOZIVA BERE -Attorney_, _President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, IBAHRI mission delegate_
MARSHAL CHILENGA -Commissioner, Malawi Human Rights Commission_
JOHN-GIFT MWAKHWAWA -Attorney, President of the Malawi Law Society_

Moderator __
RICHARD LEE _Communications Manager, Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).

British Government Awards Chevening Scholarships

Acting British High Commissioner, Mr Kirk Hollingsworth, today announced that three outstanding Malawians have been awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarships by the British Government.

The three, who include an agriculturalist, a media manager and a human rights practitioner, will pursue one year postgraduate studies at three leading British universities from September 2012.

Speaking on Wednesday when he held an audience with the scholars, Hollingsworth congratulated the three on their selection. Hollingsworth said the Chevening Scholarships are highly sought after across the globe and Malawi is particularly fortunate to have won three of them this year.

“The Chevening scholarship is a highly competitive brand that is moulding future leaders across the world. I congratulate you for joining this prestigious club of Chevening scholars,” Hollingsworth said.

One of the awardees, George Kasakula, was all praises for the British Government for making it possible for him and his colleagues to realise their long standing academic ambitions.

“I am grateful to the British Government for this prestigious award. Higher education is very expensive and many people are struggling to get funding, so it is a great privilege for us to get this opportunity for free.

“I’m also grateful to my employers, Nation Publications Limited, for allowing me time off to pursue my studies in the UK,” he said.

MORE ABOUT CHEVENING SCHOLARSHIPS

1. Chevening is Britain’s flagship scholarship scheme funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The Chevening Scholarship Programme is offered in 150 countries worldwide to over 2,300 candidates annually. 
2. The aim of the programme is to bring young leaders, decision-makers and opinion-formers to the UK for a period of postgraduate study at a formative stage in their careers who in future can play a leading role in effecting change at all policy making levels in the public and private sectors of society.  
3. The 2012/13 Chevening Scholars are as follows: George Kasakula, who will study for an MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds; Lusako Munyenyembe, who will study for an MA in Applied Human Rights at University of York; and Micter Chaola who will study for an MSC in International Rural Development at the Royal Agricultural College.

 

Update on Malawi, People's Republic of China Relations

The late Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika, was a man of strange foreign policy tastes!
This, Zachimalawi believes, is evident in the way he dumped Taiwan for Mainland China.
Then, there is this diplomatic 'scandal' Mutharika 'just dived' into: The expulsion of British High Commissioner to Malawi, Fergus Cochraine Dyet.
The two 'giant' steps paved the way for two schools of thought among the academia and political science students. The gist of their take was that: Mutharika either had no foreign policy objectives (at all), or had a foreign policy, albeit ambiguous and lop-sided!
All these 'debates' point to one thing: There is a commodity in Malawi- a silent commodity- and this commodity is in demand. This commodity has a name: It is called foreign policy!
Zachimalawi would, therefore, like to make a commitment. Zachimalawi wants to provide a wide range of foreign policy information through academic research. This will have something- perhaps a great deal, as expected- to do with Malawi.
This will be done through research. Wide-ranging research on Malawi's foreign policy overtures.
It will be academic research. Well-carried out. Thoroughly conducted.
That is the commitment.
The first project in this regard is research on how Malawi has benefited from her diplomatic ties with China, whether the 'benefits' are benefits at all, the 'hidden' costs and payments for Malawi, the ideal win-win situation, how Mainland China has benefited and/or exploited other African countries, China's real interests in Malawi, among others issues.
The research findings will be out in six months' time.

Let Neil Armstrong, that first man to step on the moon who has died at 82, go well

Malawi at the Miss World

A story of nowhere near the paying ranks it has been.
In 2001, when Malawi sent Elizabeth Pullu to represent its beauty, the hopes were so high. But Pullu came back home empty-handed.
Then, in 2002, when the nation was hoping and counting, Miss Malawi organisers were too broke to fly the country's beauty queen to the Miss World.
2002 went. No participation. Just like that.
Then, came 2003. No participation.
Just like that.
2004? Nothing.
No participation.
Just like that.
Of course, even without sending the country's beauty queen to participate at the world event, Malawi continued to exist. In fact, the country continued to occupy the position it has always held on the world map.
Then, it was the turn of 2005. Malawians thought it would be business as usual. That business of new year-no participation-just like that!
But 2005 had no 'just like that'. 2005 had no 'no participation'. 2005 had no 'business as usual'.
Against all odds and traditions, the country sent that daughter of the soil- Rachel Landson- to represent it.
She boarded a plane. She left, first, through Chileka International Airport in Blantyre and, secondly, through Kamuzu International Airport in Malawi's capital, Lilongwe.
Do not mind the two 'throughs'. Of course, it was one trip. One long trip that started through two local airports. Chileka International Airport and Lilongwe International Airport.
If Landson wanted, she would have gulped all the wine she wanted in the plane. If she wanted, she would have read all the magazines in that plane. If she wanted, she would have eaten all the delicious foods in that plane!
But we do not know what she did- in terms of food and drink; in terms, perhaps, of the times she slept - in that plane. All we know is that whatever she did in that plane is part of a package they call 'travel'. So, she traveled.
But, of course, we know one thing that a plane is like a coffin. Just that, in this coffin, people lock themselves in willingly. Of course, we may blame it on distance. The long distances traveled in this world makes it difficult for us to avoid the plane- the coffin.
The wise, while in this coffin, eat and drink to the brim. They just don't know if tomorrow will ever come.
It tomorrow ends today, they just want to live the full meaning of 'living'.
That must have been Landson's bidding. As she flew on that long journey to represent tiny Malawi.
As fate would have it, Landson brought nothing home.
What? Nothing? No, she brought experience. First hand experience. Just that others have failed to tap from that experience. That is why Malawi is yet to win the Miss World.
Oh, by the way, you could think that Malawians learn. They do not. Because...
In 2006, they did not bother to send a representative. Old habits die hard, we may say.
This world of no-participation, just-like-that is not a productive orb. Malawi must have realised that, and tried to beat that. Because...
In 2007, the, then, Miss Malawi Perth Msiska was chosen to represent Malawi.
So happy was the nation, then.
Only for Malawi to withdraw from the race.
This was followed by that predictable pattern in 2008 and 2009: No participation.
However, as is the country's habit of learning and, then, unlearning again, Ella Kabambe got that opportunity denied to Msiska, and participated at the world stage in 2010.
Of course, she brought nothing but good memories. No prize. No award. No 'well-tried'.
The world is a stingy place to Malawi queens (not the successful Queens; the Malawi National Netball Team. No, those- the Queens of the netball team- are conquerors. Ask the Proteas of South Africa. They have been weeping and gnashing their teeth for decades.If the Proteas win, you know they have cheated. The way they cheated last week Saturday. Poor thieves; Proteas!!!) Surely, the Netball Queens are conquerors! They are the Number One netball team in Africa and fifth in the world. By the way, has this paragraph confused you? If 'Yes', go get a shower right now!!!
Ok, let us look a that business-as-usual business again. Malawi had no representative in 2011. That is no news, others ma say. It is habitual. Granted. But...wait a minute!
In 2012, Malawi sent Susan Mtegha. The Mtegha who will arrive home tomorrow, having missed her flight because she fainted at the airport in China. The days must have been hard on her. Perhaps she has recouped her energies at the Malawi Embassy in China, where is is 'recuperating'..
Of course, Mtegha has not brought the 'Miss World' tittle home.
But, at least, she has managed to win a contest against Miss New Zealand.
Just go and read the New Zealand Herald and you will discover that not all is lost for Mtegha. Ask Miss World New Zealand Director, Desmond Foulger. You will get he story. Foulger's untrue stoty.
Foulger ma as well shout into your ear: Wrestling is calling her (meaning, Mtegha)!!!
Do not take heed of what Foulger will tell you.