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Ivan Zhakata Arts Correspondent

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will officiate at the third edition of the International Conference of African Cultures (ICAC), which will run from November 23 to 25 at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) in Harare.

The conference will be held under the theme “Africa Speaks: Confronting Restitution and Repatriation of Artefacts, Human Remains, Objects and Archives from an African Perspective,” with a panel of speakers from the country and abroad.

It is expected to be exciting, with the advent of the repatriation debate entering an engrossing stage after French President Emmanuel Macron announced the repatriation of cultural objects to Africa and other former colonies of the French Republic around the world.

The African Union has already endorsed the ICAC, which will be characterised by discussions on why repatriation is key in the post-colonial dispensation, how these repatriation projects should be initiated and most importantly, when repatriation should be exercised.

Addressing journalists in Harare ahead of the conference, Dr Biggie Samwanda, director of arts in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, said the conference will be officiated by President Mnangagwa.

“Zimbabwe is seriously taking the mantra to engage and re-engage, as is given by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr ED Mnangagwa, seriously and one of those activities that bring in issues of engagement and re-engagement is through this ICAC,” he said.

“When we bring in our African brothers and sisters, those from the diaspora and members of the diplomatic corps who are resident in Zimbabwe to be part and parcel of the discussion that will be taking place, it means we are re-engaging and we are bringing in the discourse of re-engagement at our doorstep.

“Handling and dealing with the discourse of restitution and repatriation is a key and critical discourse. While it has been happening elsewhere and we were passengers, it will be happening in Zimbabwe and we will be actively participating as Africans.”

Dr Samwanda said the idea of discussing matters of culture in creative sector issues was part of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

He said the Government was serious in promoting culture as it was viewed as an indispensable vehicle for development.

“We will be fulfilling the NDS1 as we strive to achieve Agenda 2030 that is achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as achieving the upper middle income status that we are all working towards,” said Dr Samwanda.

“It happens because we are having these dialogues which are inclusive. As a Ministry, we are not only working with the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and the National Arts Council, but we are working as a whole of Government where we have got all ministries coming into the inter-ministerial committee for preparations of ensuring that this ICAC 2021 becomes successful.”

NGZ executive director Mr Raphael Chikukwa gave a bit of background of the conference, saying it started in 1962 at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.

Mr Chikukwa said there will be speakers from Namibia, South Africa, Angola, Zambia, Nigeria, Uganda, Mozambique and the Diaspora.

“There is no need for us to forget about the diaspora because they play an important role,” he said. “After the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement became a very important issue and some of the colonial monuments were taken down so we thought there is a need for us to include the diaspora because their narratives can contribute to who we are.”

NGZ board chairman Dr Solomon Guramatunhu said the restitution and repatriation of the African artefacts and the culture was important.

He said if Africans did not succeed to have their artefacts repatriated, it means the future generations will be forever dominated.