Zimpapers Logo

prize with Bulawayo writer Penny Lendrum.
The two winners were announced during a ceremony held on Tuesday evening at the National Gallery in Bulawayo under the auspices of Intwasa Arts Festival which ended in Bulawayo at the weekend.

The competition, run by the Conservation of Cheetah and Wild dog Association of Southern Africa (CCWASA), is meant to bring awareness to the plight of the two animals.
Netty Purchase, the projects officer for the association, said they were pleased with the response to the contest.
“We really had a good response and the judges told me they had a hard time in selecting the winning entry and they had to settle for two winners.

“We hope people will be enlightened about the dangers that face the animals and begin to do more to conserve them,” she said.
The challenge required entrants to submit lyrics that talk about the carnivores and bring the animals to life in the audience’s mind whenever the words are invoked.
Purchase said the lyrics competition was the beginning as they will be coming up with a 25-minute musical composition from the verses.

“We will be liaising with a composer who will use the words to come up with a musical composition that will involve a wide variety of people including school children, young people and adults.
“The next production will be bigger and encompassing. We will then present it at the Bulawayo Music Festival on 27 May next year,” she said.

Bulawayo Music Academy is the venue for the annual music festival.
Purchase said they will be reaching out to schools in collaboration with traditional dance act, Ingwenyama Arts in the coming months.

Other entrants who made it to the shortlist include Kurai Mombeshora, Mark Ferris, Vera Taylor and Tegan Mortiner.
CCWASA is an umbrella organisation made up of various groups working towards the conservation of carnivores in Southern Africa.