The worldwide campaign against gender-based violence
Book Café, Harare, 25 Nov-07 Dec 2013
The horrific slaughter of women students at a Canadian college in 1989 sparked global protest and a powerful worldwide campaign. The slaughter came to be known as the ‘Montreal Massacre’. The campaign is known as ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence’, and advocates for awareness and action on the multi-faceted intersections of gender-based violence and militarism, while highlighting the connection between the struggle for economic and social rights and ending gender-based violence across the world.
This November The Book Café in Harare once again joins the world with a series of vivid and colourful events to raise awareness of the campaign in Zimbabwe, and to promote non-violence through the powerful voices of women and men in the arts.
Against the backdrop of the global theme “From Peace in the Home to Peace in World” Harare arts organisation Pamberi Trust will roll out 15 events at the Book Café, featuring some of Zimbabwe’s top and up-and-coming performing artists in music and poetry performances, workshops, discussions and film-screenings, from 25 November to 7 December 2013.
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| 3 GEN3RATIONS, Clare, Dudu, Uzanele |
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| Kessia Masona |
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| D'bi Young |
Poets from all over will delight fans of the spoken-word, and visitors are expected from neighbouring countries also.
The ‘16 Days’ Programme
Music messages roll out from the very start of the programme, at the traditional Book Café Open Mic, where performing artists of every persuasion gather to participate in the longest running youth programme in Zimbabwe, from which many songs have been written, and many stars have been born.
Tue 26 Nov, 8pm - Kessia Masona & Jam Signal
Zimbabwean firecracker Kessia Masona is a lively champion for the cause in her Tuesday night series, tonight sharing the stage in a back-to-back afro-pop double-bill with hot new jazz kids on the block ‘Jam Signal’, who acquitted themselves well in the recent October World Music Festival.
Wed 27 Nov, 6pm - Free Film Screening “Peretera Maneta” (Spell My Name) by Tawanda Gunda Mupengo – A Zimbabwean short film, winner of UNESCO Children’s and Human Rights Award at Zanzibar International Film Festival 2006. The film will followed by discussion. Courtesy of Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe as part of the 16 Days programme.
Thu 28 Nov, 5.30pm, Discussion: ‘From Peace In The Home To Peace In The World: Perspectives From Persons With Disabilities” - with Speakers: Radio presenter and gender activist Soneni Gwizi (Byo), Jennifer Shumba and Thabani Mpofu (lawyer). Moderated by Admire Zaya. Presented in collaboration with Signs of Hope Trust. FREE, ALL WELCOME!
Fri 29, 8pm, Diana Samkange who has been delighting Harare audiences and rising steadily in the past year, carries the 16 Days message in her own show this Friday, sharing the stage with the dynamic young entertainer Ba Shupi.
Sat 30, 2-7pm - Sistaz Open Mic Special: Best Of 2013
The final 2013 platform for the popular ‘Sistaz Open Mic’ this end-of-year special features some of the strongest women artists who have risen up through the platform during the year and have used their artistic gifts and talents to influence change.
Mon 02 Dec, 6pm – Book Cafe Open Mic for World Aids Day
Book Café Open Mic invites artists to commemorate the day and ‘shout out’ about HIV and Aids. In the open mic format, anyone may appear and anything can happen!
Tue 03 Dec, 8pm - Kessia Masona is outspoken for peace in the world, tonight sharing the stage in a back-to-back fireball of lively entertainment with some of Zimbabwe’s most hilarious funny-men, Simuka Comedy!
Wed 04 Dec, 6pm, Free Film-screening: ‘Half The Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunities’ – A passionate call to arms, urging us not only to bear witness to the plight of the world’s women, but to help to transform their oppression into opportunity. Courtesy of long-time 16 Days partner, Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe.
Thu 05 Dec, 10am-4pm - Sistaz Open Mic Workshop – by invitation only
Thu 05 Dec, 5.30pm - Gender Forum Discussion: “The Art(is)t Shaman: Sitting at the crossroads of the personal, the political, and the spiritual in Black Womben's Art” – with Speakers d.bi Young (Jamaica/Canada) and Roxy ‘Xapa’ Mathazia (Zimbabwe), chaired by Cynthia ‘Flowchyld’ Marangwanda. Free, All welcome!
Thu 05 Dec, 8pm - Edith weUtonga & Ammara Brown - Two of Zimbabwe’s popular women artists share the stage in back-to-back high-energy performances running with the 16 Days theme.
Fri 06 Dec, Poetry Workshop with visiting and local poets – By invitation only.
Sat 07 Dec, 2-5pm - The ‘House Of Hunger Poetry Slam’ employs poetry for human rights – this December turning the spotlight on the International Day (which falls on 10 December); featuring d’bi young alongside over 20 Zimbabwean and 3 visiting South African poets, Mandisa Vundla, Mpho Khosi and Rennie Ndwambi – come feel the energy!
Sat 07 Dec, 8pm – The Human Rights Day Concert: A riveting performance by visiting dubpoet D’BI YOUNG (Jamaica/Canada), opening with ‘3 Generations’ featuring Dudu, Clare and Uza, backed by gifted Zimbabwean artists¸ and the campaign at Book Café closes with a grand final performance by acclaimed singer-songwriter Victor Kunonga (a.k.a the Peace Ambassador) and his backing band Peace.
Pamberi Trust’s gender project FLAME works to bring women artists into the mainstream of the arts in Zimbabwe. It is the continuing aim of the FLAME project to provide women artists with opportunities for promotion, and - through these popular opinion leaders and new performance opportunities - to utilize the intersection between the arts and civil society for the promotion of peace and nation-building.
Peace-Building
Since 2007, FLAME has presented a series of events between 25 November and 10 December each year, joining the world in the international campaign ‘16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women’.
For 2013, the programme is supported by Hivos, Africalia, AST, Pro Helvetia, SDC, European Union and the Embassy of Canada.
