IAWA CULTURAL CONTEST 2024: Africa Needs To Keep Its Diversity Intact – Alinafe, IAWA Malawi President
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IAWA CULTURAL CONTEST 2024: Africa Needs To Keep Its Diversity Intact – Alinafe, IAWA Malawi President
The National President of the International African Writers Association (IAWA) Malawi Chapter, Miss Alinafe Mhone Kaweche, has said Africa needs to keep its diversity intact by organising cultural events which showcases its true culture.
Kaweche said it is the need to keep this diversity intact that made IAWA, a writing organisation which seeks to rewrite the African narrative through literature, to organise its annual cultural contest in order to showcase the rich African culture.
In 2023, IAWA Malawi had also organised the cultural contest at Grand Palace Hotel in Mzuzu, Malawi, with Loveness Peace Chirambo emerging as winner in the category of Miss IAWA Malawi, while Wisdom Msimuko emerged as Mr IAWA Malawi.
Speaking about this year’s upcoming contest, the IAWA National President said it’s their branch’s plan to get prepared on time and source enough funds from sponsors and partners, to make the event better than it was last time.
She said: “There were a lot of challenges during the 2023 contest, and the biggest thing that I learnt is that an event like this needs enough time to be well planned.
“Africa needs more events like these to keep its rich diversity intact. I hope by the end of the event, we will manage to get IAWA known to Malawians and the world at large, as an organisation that promotes African culture.”
Kaweche also highlighted some of the activities to take place, saying for a start, the organisation will announce a call for models interested in participating, followed by auditions, and those who are selected would participate during the main event.
“As for participants, apart from prizes for the winners, they also get to be part of an event that promotes culture.
“Therefore, expect a lot of activities including poetry, book exhibition, African music and more,” she said.
Meanwhile, Tadala Nkanaunena, the National Vice President IAWA Malawi, who also doubles as IAWA- Global Secretary, highlighted that IAWA Malawi plans “to rock Africa and African writers by implementing the core mission of IAWA, ‘changing the narratives’ into its craft and activities.”
He said last year’s cultural contest “was just a tip of the iceberg in what IAWA Malawi has in store, as more creatives aim for the podium to narrate their stories.
“Just as the name suggests, the events looks at how one dresses and the culture they carry behind each attire.
“And just as how songs carries an identity, an attire also does the same, asking for outlookers to go beyond just how one looks with the attire on,” Nkanaunena said.
He explained that the event also plays on bringing together people of all cultures, to a single place where they get to know more about each other’s cultures and the narratives beyond.
“Setting aside the contest part, we would love to bring narratives of different cultures through the attires and every single accompanying piece for people to understand more about who Malawi is, and what she looks like in the cultures that make her.
“Every creative needs a space, and IAWA in general has provided that as such. The branch allows each creative to narrate themselves with activities such as poetries and stories, where comfortable artists showcase their art. The IAWA Magazine is also an outlet for each creative to voice out,” the vice president said.
With Munyal Markus Manunyi
Email: talkmunyal@gmail.com Phone: +2348163512022
Photo: Crowning Mr IAWA Malawi by Miss Mzuzu 2022
Alinafe Mhone Kaweche, National President IAWA Malawi
L- R: An official from the contest posing beside the winners of Mr and Miss IAWA Malawi
Tadala Nkanaunena, National Vice President IAWA Malawi Chapter
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