28 Nov 2023

 Maun has been described as a unique and thriving creative region with a high level of community arts and cultural development.

This was said by Orange Botswana Legal and Corporate Affairs director, Ms Lepata Mafa-Nthomola during a poetry night over the weekend which formed part of the Maun International Arts Festival (MIAF). 

She said Orange saw it fit to support the festival as Maun was unique in terms of tourism as well as diverse and rich cultures, which brought together people to have fun.

Mafa-Nthomola appreciated efforts by Poetavango for organizing the festival, which she said had stimulated the tourism sector diversification as well as brought both economic and social benefits to the local community. 

“Poetavango has built a legacy in art industry and we are proud to be partners with them. They are doing a good job to sell the uniqueness of the region because art reflects people’s lifestyle,” she added.

Mafa-Nthomola, who also attended the comedian night, said the performance was fantastic and urged artists to take arts seriously as they could create a sustainable creative economy. 

Meanwhile, Orange injected over P180 000 towards the long week festival, which came to an end over the weekend with a celebration of live music performances featuring local giants and international names in the music industry who showcased their talents.

Poetavango chairperson, Legodile Seganabeng said initially, the festival started as a poetry festival and over the years, they decided to expand it and include other art genres such as visual arts, literature and performance arts such as comedy and music, hence it was transformed into MIAF.

Poetry night, he said had a tradition of bringing some of the most celebrated and famous poets to enlighten and entertain. 

“Poetry is our foundation and we saw it fit to combine it with dinner to appreciate our partners and supporters for seeing value in what we are trying to do. They have indeed played a meaningful role towards our growth,” he said.

Seganabeng further acknowledged that the art industry had shown growth over the years, even post COVID-19 pandemic, noting that through determination, it was important to bounce back for the sake of the industry. 

He urged stakeholders to continue supporting the festival and the art industry as it had the potential to sell the tourism industry.

Seganabeng said there was an aspect of art tourism, which travellers should learn and experience so that when they got back to their countries they could tell beautiful stories about the lifestyle, the culture and food of Maun region. ENDS