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Fulltext - Tsvangirai's speech, hand-over of the Prince Claus Award
09 Mar 2012 at 13:15hrs | Views
PM Tsvangirai's speech on the occasion of the hand-over of the Prince Claus Award to the Book Café
Cabinet Ministers here present
The Ambassador of the Netherlands, Her Excellency Barbara Joziasse
The Director of the Prince Claus Fund, Mrs Christa Meindersma,
The Director of the National Arts Council, Mr Elvas Mare
The Director of Culture in Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Rev. Paul Damasane
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
The Directors of the National Galleries of (Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare)
The Executive Director HIFA, Mrs Maria Wilson
The Chairperson of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair Mr Musayemura Zimunya
The esteemed Book Café staff
Artists and friends of the Book café
The Dutch community
Ladies and gentlemen
It is always worthwhile to attend a function hosted by the creative people in the arts industry because they are fun to be with and fun is sometimes a scarce commodity in troubled countries such as Zimbabwe.
So even politicians like me enjoy the company of those in the creative industry because they make the world tick through their art, their music, their poetry and their capacity to express human experiences in a unique fashion.
The last time I was at the Book Café, I was launching my book, At the Deep End. This was at the old location of the Book Cafe. Today, I am happy to see this new and beautiful location. I see you are now located at the deep end of the city, so I am happy I am not alone at the deep end!
It is an honour to be surrounded by all the talented artists that are associated with the Book Café, especially on a wonderful day like this, which is the occasion of the handover of the Prince Claus Award to the Book Cafe.
The Netherlands government has been a loyal partner to Zimbabwe for decades. In the past they were on the side of our freedom fighters that fought for the liberation of our country.
Personally, I am proud to talk at today's occasion of the Award handover to the Book Café, because mainly because arts and culture are inherent to humanity.
Culture defines us.
Culture mobilizes transformation, inspires inclusiveness, increases diversity, tolerance and acceptance.
Culture and the arts play a key role in society especially in countries in transition such as Zimbabwe. The arts encapsulate human struggles, express them and define a people and their quest for progression and development.
Culture connects the past, the present and the future. Creating and preserving culture is key to a country's cultural history because it confers value, respect and identity.
Culture contributes to the recovery of self-respect and identity in times of crisis.
That is why I am pleased to celebrate with you the conferment of the Prince Claus international award to the Book Café, which has always been a vibrant platform for free cultural expression in a country suffering decades of political and economic upheavals, repressive laws, stringent censorship and a lack of cultural infrastructure.
As a government, we need to recognise the central role of the arts because they are always the conscience of our collective march to a better tomorrow.
Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy and it must be encouraged among ordinary citizens but especially for artists, be they writers (like myself!), filmmakers, singers, painters, sculptors or cartoonists.
I want to say here I cannot be a proud Prime Minister of a government that arrests, threatens, intimidates and harasses artists for living true to the critical nature of their endeavours.
I am aware that even our only State broadcaster has refused to air critical artistic expressions and this is a major cause for concern. I hope that as a result of the media reforms that we have asked the responsible Minister to institute, critical art forms will find their unhindered way into our media, in our book shops and in local exhibitions.
The arts are there to question mainstream politics. Artistic expression is for everyone because creative freedom enables a country to grow and prosper.
The arts have been treated lightly by previous governments who regard them as small players in partisan galas and propaganda tools for the benefit of politicians.
For God's sake, the arts are serious business! They carry on their back the collective aspirations of a people and that is why the message for Zimbabwe's liberation was conveyed through music, proverb, humour and poetry.
Because of their critical role, I know that artists are capable of wise reflection and they resent censorship, control and manipulation. They are not propagandists, they want and deserve their freedom of expression.
The creative sector is therefore an engine for economic growth. Statistics show that the creative sector has grown faster than any other sector except ICTs in the last 25 years.
Prior to our crisis, Zimbabwe was the powerhouse of African arts, it hosted the premier book fair in Africa, it produced as many Noma award winning writers as Nigeria and Kenya, it had global recognition for stone sculpture, a vibrant film industry and thye best book-selling sector in Africa.
We must restore that pride as a government by creating an environment conducive for the development and growth of the arts. It is time to put Zimbabwe back where it belongs; at the cutting edge of African culture. Now and more than ever before, the arts need the support and co-operation of government so that it can rebuild itself.
I am aware that the Book Café, whose award we celebrate today, is one of the cultural institutions punished by its own government in 2008 by having its funds raided by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
I pledge to trace what happened to that money with a view to having it repaid as was done to funds raided from the FCAs of other NGOs. It is an anomaly that needs urgent resolution.
Ladies and gentlemen, culture is vulnerable when it is being repressed and when certain aspects of culture are being suppressed or forgotten.
Therefore, I want to praise the artists here present, and the Book Café, for their role in conserving culture, in further developing culture and stimulating thinking, dialogue and identity formation.
I wish to congratulate the Book Café and its artists for the successes they have achieved â€" and for the valuable contribution that the artists have made to the Zimbabwean society.
I wish to thank them for increasing tolerance and acceptance, opening up dialogue on societal issues, for being a binding element in our country, for pursuing freedom of expression, for conserving our identity, for inspiring us and others and for connection our past to our present and our future.
I wish to conclude by telling you that for me to be here today, I have had to cancel a small dinner that I had planned with my mother, my sisters and my daughters.
I say this because today is International Women's Day. On Tuesday, I hosted a private function to remember my late wife Susan who mattered so much in my life and today my thoughts are with all the women of this great country.
So as we celebrate today, we must remember the role of women worldwide but especially the role of the rural women of Zimbabwe who continue to toil for the betterment of their families and the upliftment of the people.
They are unsung heroines
I am glad to see so many powerful and successful women tonight that are contributing to the betterment of our society.
We have to keep in mind that 60% of all the work in the world is done by women even though they only possess 1% of all property in the world. Only 5% of all world leaders are women and of all poor people in the world, 75% are women.
Despite the advancements made, regrettably, too many of the women are still afflicted by daily challenges in the homes, in the communities and places of work â€" challenges which we must consistently strive to minimize or eliminate.
The theme for the 2012 International Women's Day is Empower Rural Women â€" End Hunger and Poverty. I would like to congratulate all women on this day. Rural women are custodians of our culture and traditional values.
They pass on these values through songs, dance and stories to our children and families.
Government must therefore have a conscious effort to empower rural women through access to land, water, education, training, financial services and strong organisations, as a means to enhance the preservation of our culture.
The important contribution of women artists in bringing historical and current issues to the attention of so many people is commendable as it enhances the preservation of our common culture.
Women's Day is a global celebration of these achievements of women in the past, in present and in the future. Today is a chance to pay tribute to the ordinary women in Zimbabwe.
The empowerment of women artists and equal opportunities for both sexes are fundamental in the preservation of our culture.
Once again, my sincere congratulations to the Book Café for their award in exemplary support for the arts and culture in Zimbabwe.
Who knows, maybe I will be here again to launch my second book.
I Thank You
Cabinet Ministers here present
The Ambassador of the Netherlands, Her Excellency Barbara Joziasse
The Director of the Prince Claus Fund, Mrs Christa Meindersma,
The Director of the National Arts Council, Mr Elvas Mare
The Director of Culture in Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Rev. Paul Damasane
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
The Directors of the National Galleries of (Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare)
The Executive Director HIFA, Mrs Maria Wilson
The Chairperson of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair Mr Musayemura Zimunya
The esteemed Book Café staff
Artists and friends of the Book café
The Dutch community
Ladies and gentlemen
It is always worthwhile to attend a function hosted by the creative people in the arts industry because they are fun to be with and fun is sometimes a scarce commodity in troubled countries such as Zimbabwe.
So even politicians like me enjoy the company of those in the creative industry because they make the world tick through their art, their music, their poetry and their capacity to express human experiences in a unique fashion.
The last time I was at the Book Café, I was launching my book, At the Deep End. This was at the old location of the Book Cafe. Today, I am happy to see this new and beautiful location. I see you are now located at the deep end of the city, so I am happy I am not alone at the deep end!
It is an honour to be surrounded by all the talented artists that are associated with the Book Café, especially on a wonderful day like this, which is the occasion of the handover of the Prince Claus Award to the Book Cafe.
The Netherlands government has been a loyal partner to Zimbabwe for decades. In the past they were on the side of our freedom fighters that fought for the liberation of our country.
Personally, I am proud to talk at today's occasion of the Award handover to the Book Café, because mainly because arts and culture are inherent to humanity.
Culture defines us.
Culture mobilizes transformation, inspires inclusiveness, increases diversity, tolerance and acceptance.
Culture and the arts play a key role in society especially in countries in transition such as Zimbabwe. The arts encapsulate human struggles, express them and define a people and their quest for progression and development.
Culture connects the past, the present and the future. Creating and preserving culture is key to a country's cultural history because it confers value, respect and identity.
Culture contributes to the recovery of self-respect and identity in times of crisis.
That is why I am pleased to celebrate with you the conferment of the Prince Claus international award to the Book Café, which has always been a vibrant platform for free cultural expression in a country suffering decades of political and economic upheavals, repressive laws, stringent censorship and a lack of cultural infrastructure.
As a government, we need to recognise the central role of the arts because they are always the conscience of our collective march to a better tomorrow.
Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy and it must be encouraged among ordinary citizens but especially for artists, be they writers (like myself!), filmmakers, singers, painters, sculptors or cartoonists.
I want to say here I cannot be a proud Prime Minister of a government that arrests, threatens, intimidates and harasses artists for living true to the critical nature of their endeavours.
The arts are there to question mainstream politics. Artistic expression is for everyone because creative freedom enables a country to grow and prosper.
The arts have been treated lightly by previous governments who regard them as small players in partisan galas and propaganda tools for the benefit of politicians.
For God's sake, the arts are serious business! They carry on their back the collective aspirations of a people and that is why the message for Zimbabwe's liberation was conveyed through music, proverb, humour and poetry.
Because of their critical role, I know that artists are capable of wise reflection and they resent censorship, control and manipulation. They are not propagandists, they want and deserve their freedom of expression.
The creative sector is therefore an engine for economic growth. Statistics show that the creative sector has grown faster than any other sector except ICTs in the last 25 years.
Prior to our crisis, Zimbabwe was the powerhouse of African arts, it hosted the premier book fair in Africa, it produced as many Noma award winning writers as Nigeria and Kenya, it had global recognition for stone sculpture, a vibrant film industry and thye best book-selling sector in Africa.
We must restore that pride as a government by creating an environment conducive for the development and growth of the arts. It is time to put Zimbabwe back where it belongs; at the cutting edge of African culture. Now and more than ever before, the arts need the support and co-operation of government so that it can rebuild itself.
I am aware that the Book Café, whose award we celebrate today, is one of the cultural institutions punished by its own government in 2008 by having its funds raided by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
I pledge to trace what happened to that money with a view to having it repaid as was done to funds raided from the FCAs of other NGOs. It is an anomaly that needs urgent resolution.
Ladies and gentlemen, culture is vulnerable when it is being repressed and when certain aspects of culture are being suppressed or forgotten.
Therefore, I want to praise the artists here present, and the Book Café, for their role in conserving culture, in further developing culture and stimulating thinking, dialogue and identity formation.
I wish to congratulate the Book Café and its artists for the successes they have achieved â€" and for the valuable contribution that the artists have made to the Zimbabwean society.
I wish to thank them for increasing tolerance and acceptance, opening up dialogue on societal issues, for being a binding element in our country, for pursuing freedom of expression, for conserving our identity, for inspiring us and others and for connection our past to our present and our future.
I wish to conclude by telling you that for me to be here today, I have had to cancel a small dinner that I had planned with my mother, my sisters and my daughters.
I say this because today is International Women's Day. On Tuesday, I hosted a private function to remember my late wife Susan who mattered so much in my life and today my thoughts are with all the women of this great country.
So as we celebrate today, we must remember the role of women worldwide but especially the role of the rural women of Zimbabwe who continue to toil for the betterment of their families and the upliftment of the people.
They are unsung heroines
I am glad to see so many powerful and successful women tonight that are contributing to the betterment of our society.
We have to keep in mind that 60% of all the work in the world is done by women even though they only possess 1% of all property in the world. Only 5% of all world leaders are women and of all poor people in the world, 75% are women.
Despite the advancements made, regrettably, too many of the women are still afflicted by daily challenges in the homes, in the communities and places of work â€" challenges which we must consistently strive to minimize or eliminate.
The theme for the 2012 International Women's Day is Empower Rural Women â€" End Hunger and Poverty. I would like to congratulate all women on this day. Rural women are custodians of our culture and traditional values.
They pass on these values through songs, dance and stories to our children and families.
Government must therefore have a conscious effort to empower rural women through access to land, water, education, training, financial services and strong organisations, as a means to enhance the preservation of our culture.
The important contribution of women artists in bringing historical and current issues to the attention of so many people is commendable as it enhances the preservation of our common culture.
Women's Day is a global celebration of these achievements of women in the past, in present and in the future. Today is a chance to pay tribute to the ordinary women in Zimbabwe.
The empowerment of women artists and equal opportunities for both sexes are fundamental in the preservation of our culture.
Once again, my sincere congratulations to the Book Café for their award in exemplary support for the arts and culture in Zimbabwe.
Who knows, maybe I will be here again to launch my second book.
I Thank You
Source - MDC-T
