By Mtisunge Gwedeza

Blantyre, August 21, Mana: Youths in Mulanje have organized a festival called Mulanje Peaks and Rhythms, a platform for young people to showcase their efforts in the tourism industry and to interact with established tourism stakeholders from August 30 to September 1 in Mulanje.

The Director and Founder of the festival, Michael Kwapata told Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday that the festival will feature an environmental parade with key messages on reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, and supporting sustainable practices.

“The festival will take place in various places like Chitakale, Gateway Lodge, Mulanje Sports Club, Dziwe la Nkhalamba, and Cork and Bottle; whereby, discussions, demonstrations, and activities such as tourism practices, guided hikes and opportunities for the youth to showcase entrepreneurial activities will be conducted.

“This engagement will not only provide exposure but also encourage young people to explore careers in tourism and environmental conservation,” Kwapata said.

“In addition, we have formed partnerships with local environmental NGOs, community groups and businesses committed to sustainability. These collaborations are helping us to provide resources, expertise and outreach necessary to achieve our festival goals and continue to seek additional partnerships to broaden our impact and strengthen initiatives,” he said.

Some of the collaborations and partnerships the festival organizers have formed include We Forest, Cork and Bottle, Conservation Arts, Mulanje Youth Organization, Malawi Travel, Nalipiri Lodge and many more.

These companies told Mana that partnering with Mulanje Cultural Festival aligns with their core values of community engagement and cultural preservation.

To spice up the event, organizers have also invited local and big artists like Tay Grin also known as the Nyau King and Lulu and the Mathumela Band have confirmed their presence at the festival.

In a separate interview, Tay Grin expressed his excitement to headline at the festival. 

“Mulanje has such a special vibe with its stunning landscapes, the energy at these festivals is always next level and being part of that, seeing people come alive to the music, dance and traditions is what I look forward to the most,” the Nyau King said.

“I want to convey messages of unity, pride and celebration of Malawian identity. Through my performance, I want to remind everyone that our culture is powerful, beautiful and deserves to be showcased on every stage. Let’s celebrate who we are and look forward to a future where our culture continues to shine brightly,” Tay Grin added.

On his part, Lulu also confirmed his performance at the festival, saying he is excited to share his music and energy with the crowd.

“I am so excited to be part of these great minds, people see things we don’t see in ourselves. So, we are going to give them what they deserve but mostly we are looking forward to enjoy the environment,” he said.

Attendees can support the Mulanje Peaks and Rhythms Festival goals by staying connected with partner organizations, participating in ongoing conservation and practicing sustainability in their daily lives.