One of the best ways to discover African culture is taking part in “Festa d’Africa” (Africa Festival), an event that will take place in Civitavecchia, Ladispoli, Sacrofano and Rome from the 21st of August to the 15th of September 2009. The 8th edition of the festival will end in the eternal city: travel to Rome from the 8th to the 15th of September and learn something more about African theatre, dance, art and music. The festival, which always attracts a number of visitors in 4 stars hotels in Rome, is meant to help the dialogue between different peoples and cultures and to make people learn something more about what is different from themselves, because only knowledge can destroy barriers and incomprehension. No wonder that the keyword of the event is dialogue: it is only through dialogue that we can listen to and understand other points of view, and dialogue implies being willing to respect and to accept different opinions. The word dialogue is meant as dialogue between different forms of art, dialogue through art and dialogue as an instrument to build peaceful relations between peoples. All forms of art are powerful means of expression and communication, which can be used to deal with problems of vital importance.
Festa d’Africa is not only meant as a festival of African art and culture, but also as an important chance to make people know some of the most urgent issues of the black continent: just to make an example, the festival will host the screenings of the movie “Mooladè” and of the docu-fiction “Vite in cammino”, which deal with the serious problem of female genital mutilation.
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The programme of the festival includes dance and theatre shows, screenings of films and documentaries, performances of singers and bands, but also debates and discussions, in order to go deeply into all the features of African culture. On the 8th of September there will be a debate on the importance of music in African society: in Africa music is not only entertainment, it is also a powerful tool to criticize the society and to give advice to the community, and it becomes people consciousness. The festival will host other interesting debates on African dance (“Dogon: the water dance”) and cinema, in particular on Nigerian film industry, the so-called “Nollywood”, which is now considered as the second more productive film industry in the world.
Other unmissable events are the dance performance of Vincent Mantsoe, whose Afro-fusion style combines African dance and other forms of contemporary dances, Macire Sylla’s concert and the theatre show “Un homme ordinaire pour quatre femmes particulières” by Slimane Benaisse. Book now a discount guest house in Rome!
Tickets: various prices
Date: 8th – 15th September 2009
Location: Rome, Italy
