A group of 39 young performers from Malawi excited audiences at the 2025 Jacaranda International Children and Youth Arts Festival in Lusaka, Zambia, from 7 to 9 August.
The festival, organised by Assitej Zambia, brought together 19 local and international children and youth arts groups. The groups showcased performances.
Malawi was represented by Likuni Boys Secondary School, Lilongwe Girls Secondary School and Paphata Cultural Troupe, who showcased displays of music, dance and theatre.
The schools showcased vimbuza and masewe, which are among the many traditional dances in Malawi.
Their participation was facilitated by Light of Youth Creative Organisation (Lyco) and Malawi Folk Dance Music and Songs Society (MFDMSS), organisations that promote arts and culture among Malawian youth through initiatives like the Nasfest International Youth Cultural Festival.
Lyco executive director James Kitchen in an interview stressed the
importance of cultural exchange in promoting Malawi’s cultural heritage across Africa.
“The performances by our Malawian youth were great, with enthusiasm and energy, especially when they depicted Malawian culture and traditional setup,” he said.
Kitchen, who is also MFDMSS president, said the experience showed participants the importance of cultural exchange and the impact of arts in bringing people together.
“We have learned that each country has its unique cultural identity. Therefore, it is essential for Malawi to learn from its neighbours as they learn from us about our culture. We have also seen the power of youth engagement in promoting creativity and innovation,” he said.
Likuni Boys Secondary School drama club matron Regina Mlambe-Store said the exchange is crucial for promoting culture stressing that targeting students is a sustainable way for preserving culture.
“Students and young people should be the first targeted if we are to promote culture as a country and preserve it. They need to be taught about culture and this is a good step,” she said.
Store said government and other stakeholders should consider arts events that target students across the country.
Shafiq Kalumo, who accompanied the team and a theatre practitioner, said the feedback from the performances was encouraging showing that festival attendees enjoyed the performances.
He concurred with Kitchen and Store, saying participation in international festivals raises the cultural flag for Malawi’s heritage
Paphata Cultural Troupe perfomance in Zambia.
