The Afro Festival was held in the Museum of African Art (MAA) from Friday, June 23, to Sunday, June 25
Every year during the last weekend in June, the MAA garden turns into a beehive for art lovers – a place of gathering for not only the museum audience, but also numerous other lovers of art and good music, tourists, the diplomatic community and the general public – a place to meet, exchange ideas and good mood fueled by discovery different forms of creativity that come from the African continent
As a result of the exceptional international cooperation between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Nairobi and the Museum of African Art, this year’s honored guest of the festival was the Republic of Kenya. The Ministry of Youth, Arts and Sports of Kenya and the Cultural Center of Kenya presented their rich cultural heritage with an exclusive program under the slogan “Kenya – the pride of Africa!”, with performances by more than thirty music and dance performers and a sales exhibition of traditional and contemporary art and craft products, fashion design, textiles, jewelry.
The festival opened with a new thematic exhibition ” Art, In Spite of Everything – Contemporary African Art from the Ilija Gubić Collection”, author Aleksandra Gačić. In cooperation with the SANU Institute of Music, traditional and contemporary tracks from Burundi and Ethiopia were performed by the bands Sounds of East Africa and NG Kids – users of the Center for Asylum Seekers in Krnjaca. The opening was attended by Danijela Vanušić, Assistant Minister of Culture for Cultural Heritage Protection and Digitization.
Visitors enjoyed a special “Kenyan Treasury” exhibition and sales program organized by the guests of honour: a host of art, craft and everyday items and household decorations, fashion creations and accessories. During the whole day, creative workshops for children and adults organized by the curator of the Museum were held, as well as a rich educational and promotional program organized by two associations of African students in Belgrade “World in Serbia” (WSSSR) and Student International Vision (SiVision).
The Kenyan troupes “MAA” and “Kenge kenge orutu system” fascinated the audience with their attractive traditional dance choreography and fusion of rumba, afro-fusion and local music styles of Kenya.
The highlight of the festival, the so-called Durbar – a day of friendship, music and dance was held on Sunday, June 25. With the precious participation of the African embassies in Belgrade, in the pleasant garden of the Museum, this day celebrates African music, dance, craftsmanship, art and culture. The embassies of Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Congo, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, as well as the consulate of Jamaica, participated in this year’s festival with richly decorated stands and an offer of traditional specialties.
The visitors were addressed by the director of the Museum of African Art, Marija Aleksić, the doyen of the Group of African Ambassadors and the ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, H.E. Mohammed Amine Belhaj, the director of the Cultural Center of Kenya, Michael Pundo, and Stanko Blagojević, assistant minister of culture for international cooperation and European integration.
H.E. Korir SingOei, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, Serbian Ambassador to Nairobi H. E. Dragan Županjevac and Assistant Minister of Culture Stanko Blagojević pointed out that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Serbia and Kenya, with the hope that this cooperation will continue in the future. strengthen and deepen in the fields of economy, culture, sports and education.
