03 May 2015

On April 30, Botswana joined rest of the world to celebrate the UNESCO International Jazz Day by hosting Salif Keita at BotswanaCraft in Gaborone.

UNESCO International Jazz Day is a yearly event organized by UNESCO to celebrate ‘the virtues of jazz as an educational tool, and a force for peace, unity, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people.’

The day was proclaimed during the UNESCO General Conference in November 2011. The first annual International Jazz Day was kicked off in Paris by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock.

BotswanaCraft was packed to the rafters as people came in droves to celebrate the International Jazz Day. This event was brought about through a conjunction between Orange, Botswanacraft, and the ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and UNESCO.

Salif Keita, known as the ‘Golden Voice of Africa’, is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita. He has recorded over 15 albums since the 1980’s and some of his most recognized songs include ‘Tekere’ and ‘Africa’.

Just recently he recorded a song with South African musical group Ladysmith Black Mambazo to say ‘no’ to the recent attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa. The event was a jovial celebration of jazz music and how it can be used to advance a lot of issues that deal with the betterment of people’s lives. Ends