BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE: Minister of Sports, Culture, and Youth Affairs, Bongani Nzima, yesterday bid farewell to the team that will represent Eswatini in India.
The Culture Troupe will jet off today to the Mela Festival in India, 37th edition. However, a farewell function was held at the Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Youth Affairs Headquarters yesterday.
The team will be away for 21 days.
CEO of Arts and Culture Stanley Dlamini, first introduced the team before sharing with the minister how participants were selected.
The team include M Nation, and three Sibhaca dancers namely Sdumo Vilakati, Sabelo Mabuza, and Sanele Dlamini.
Others include three ladies who got selected for Ingadla Sakhile Dlamini, Tesive Dlamini and Nakiwe Dlamini.
Dlamini explained that the team got selected due to their respective cultural programmes, where they scouted each individual at cultural events in every region across the country. The CEO further introduced Lelo Mkholo, who went to Ghana late last year as the winner of the Star African Female Next-Rated Model of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture Bongani Nzima said, “It is my pleasure, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, to bid you farewell ahead of your departure to represent the country at the Mela Festival in India.
I would like, first and foremost, to express our sincere gratitude to the Indian High Commission, who have been truly outstanding partners in bringing to life and growing this partnership that is serving as yet another cornerstone towards strengthening the longstanding relationship between Eswatini and India,”
He added: “Such cultural exchange programmes are key to enhancing understanding and appreciation of the differing but equally beautiful cultures between our two countries, and in doing so, we inculcate a spirit of tolerance and an enhanced worldview among our people. I am therefore delighted to see this programme growing and to note that this is now the third culture troupe we are sending to India since we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian High Commission to facilitate such initiatives.”
Nzima further congratulated the selected artists for being bestowed with this immense responsibility and honour of going out to represent your country.
“You are now ambassadors of our kingdom, and it is through you that the people of India and other countries will learn about Eswatini and the kind of people emaSwati is. I therefore encourage you to grab this opportunity with both hands and to show the best versions of yourselves in India. Not only is this an opportunity to showcase the beauty of Eswatini, but it is also an opportunity for you, as artists, to show your undoubted talent to a global audience and possibly unlock new doors for your professional growth.”
The minister also assured the team that His Majesty’s government is committed to supporting artists by creating an enabling environment for arts and culture to grow in Eswatini.
“We have recently acquired regional arts centres, which you, as artists, will use to perfect your craft across the country. While this undoubtedly underlines our commitment to you, we understand that it is not enough, and we will strive to do more to help grow the arts and culture sector in Eswatini. I now wish you a safe and prosperous journey to India.”
Congratulations and farewell to you brothers and sisters. I hope you guys will represent the country well, we are very proud of you. Take care always ❤.