AFRO-FUSION artiste Suzanna Owiyo was among a host of social entrepreneurs who shared their success stories at the African Creative Economy Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa, last week.
The conference played host to around 400 delegates from more than 40 countries in Africa and beyond with the aim of showcasing what the creative economy is all about.
The creative economy deals with the interface between creativity, culture, economics and technology in a contemporary world dominated by images, sounds, texts and symbols. The creative industries are among the most dynamic sectors in the world economy, providing new opportunities for developing countries to leapfrog into emerging high-growth areas.
Besides Owiyo, some of Africa's most incisive and popular cultural practitioners gave talks at the conference. They include Senegalese rap musician Didier Awadi, Moroccan theatre-maker and playwright Jaouad Essounani, DRC-born, SA-based filmmaker Johnny Muteba, CEO of Mobi Changa in Kenya (mobile fund-raising technology) Kyai Mullei, Lagos Fashion and Design Week founder Omoyemi Akerele and South African social entrepreneur Patrick Schofield.
"It is impossible to gainsay the value of Africa's creative industries when it comes to jump-starting the continent's political and economic development. Like a phoenix, Africa is rising from over a century of colonialism followed by phantom liberation to become, potentially, the engine of the planet's growth until the end of this century and beyond. The continent's cultural and artistic communities have an instrumental role to play in making the African dream a reality," said Dr Israel Kodiaga, director of programmes, research and strategic development at the African Centre of International Studies.
No comments:
Post a Comment