The second edition of the Pan African Cultural Festival (PANAF) opened in Algiers this week with a rich mix of African music, pomp and fanfare. Among the thousands of artists and cultural ambassadors taking part this year are acclaimed Zimbabwean poet Albert Nyathi and rising jazz diva, Rute Mbangwa.

^ Rute Mbangwa performs (File photo).

Star attractions such as Youssou N'dour, Selif Keita, Mory Kanté, Ait Menguellet, Cheb Khaled, Amazigh Kateb, Karim Ziad, Zehouania and other artists, are set to thrill audiences at the festival which runs from 5th to 20th July 2009.

Musical programmes feature concerts at public places including the esplanade of Riadh El Feth (OREF) and two stadia connected to two giant screens in the city.

Participants are expected from each of Africa’s 53 countries. These include musicians, designers, visual artists, handcrafters who specialise in pottery, embroidery, jewellery as well as theatre artists. Nearly 8 000 representatives from the continent and the African Diaspora will take part.

The opening of the continental cultural event, which was presided over by the Minister of Culture for Algeria, Khalida Toumi, on behalf of the Algerian President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was marked by a colourful cultural carnival. The Algerian Culture minister welcomed delegates to the event, and gave a historic overview of the continental cultural forum with reference made to the 1966 Pan African Cultural festival held in the Senegalese capital of Dakar, and the subsequent one held in Algiers in 1969, organised by the government of Algeria.

Besides the performance of some of the biggest figures in African and international art, she revealed that emblematic projects would be launched such as the Pan African Cultural Institute and a Museum of Africa.

Algeria was commissioned by the African Union (AU) to organise this festival under the banner of African Renaissance.

- Zimgreats, The Daily Observer Banjul, ZimboJam

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Hitman   |2009-07-10 05:31:00 Representing! Representing! All over the world we are representing! Reply 0   0

CandyMan   |2009-07-13 02:34:05 Word is Rute and Albert did an amazing duet performance in Algiers. Reply 0   0

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