By Evance Chisiano

Blantyre, September 13, Mana: President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Friday hosted a delegation of practitioners in creative and cultural industries in Malawi at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre where he said passing of National Arts and Heritage Council Bill in Parliament was a clear testimony of his administration's commitment to promote the creative and cultural sector.

“My desire to meet with you today is meant to demonstrate my readiness to bring stakeholders together so that we should deal with challenges the sector faces," he said, citing the government's readiness to look into taxes that affects the creative and cultural sector, continued renovation of cultural arts centers.

The president said appointment of Special Advisor on Creative Industries, Qabaniso Malewezi was another testimony that ensures government’s collaboration with the creative and cultural industries in Malawi.

In his remarks, the Presidential Special Advisor on Creative Industries commended President Chakwera for hosting the delegation saying this created a rare opportunity to discuss issues that affect the industry and also provided room to discuss solutions to the challenges.

Leader of delegation, Zilanie Gondwe said Malawi is part of Africa's rich cultural diversity that need to be supported by the state, adding that creative and culture industries were key to Malawi culture and socio-economic development.

“Creative and Cultural Industry is a powerful sector. We in the industry embrace national pride and we cannot do that without creative and cultural industries,” she said.

During the interaction, presentations were made focusing on research and academia on creative arts, significance of arts associations, creative enterprises and digital media and future and economic significance of arts festivals in Malawi.

Among other areas, the delegation recommended speedy revocation of Blantyre Arts Cultural Center, reduction of taxes on art and music equipment and further called government’s interventions to make things conducive for the creative and cultural industries to be competitive globally.

Among associations that attended the Sanjika Palace meeting were: Musicians Association of Malawi, National Theatre Association of Malawi, Fashion Association of Malawi, Visual Arts, of Malawi, Malawi Union of Academic and Nonfiction Authors and, Journalists Union of Malawi.

At the beginning of the meeting, a minute silence was observed in honour of Lucius Banda who until his death this year, was Presidential Advisor on Arts.

A 31 years old Blessing Chilunga of Lilongwe presented his own made acoustic guitar to President Chakwera to show his appreciation for hosting the delegation but also to drum his support on creative and cultural industries.

With the bill, the young man said was looking forward to enhanced arts heritage and culture with music as one of key components.

He expressed excitement about the growth of his acoustic guitar-making business and optimistic that, despite being a small-scale operation currently, it will play a larger role in Malawi's music industry.