Sauti za Busara, one of Africa's leading music festivals, started Friday at the Old Fort in Stone Town in Tanzania's Zanzibar, attracting a wide array of artists from Tanzania and other parts of Africa.
ZANZIBAR, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Sauti za Busara, one of Africa's leading music festivals, began Friday with a bang at the Old Fort in Stone Town in Tanzania's Zanzibar, attracting a wide array of artists from Tanzania and other parts of Africa.
A band from Zimbabwe performs during the Sauti za Busara 2022 festival at the Ngome Kongwe in Zanzibar on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Herman Emmanuel)
Apart from four groups that previously performed at the festival, all others will be gracing the festival for the first time, said Yusuf Mahmoud, the director of the festival.
Mahmoud urged Tanzanians and visitors who have arrived from all corners of the world to join in huge numbers to witness and participate in this unique spectacle.
A local band performs during the Sauti za Busara 2022 festival at the Ngome Kongwe in Zanzibar on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Herman Emmanuel)
"Today, we kick off a unique and magical experience when Zanzibar hosts three days and nights of 100 percent live African music," said Mahmoud. "We are especially proud of this year's festival program, which is truly world-class with diverse music styles to satisfy audiences of all ages and backgrounds."
He said the past two years were devastating years for artists, the creative industry and cultural tourism due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Acknowledging special challenges as faced by female artists across Tanzania and beyond, Mahmoud said that "our festival pays special attention to the selection of female artists, encouraging their presence on stage as well as behind the scenes. We also give priority to artists who use their music to promote peace, unity, human rights, freedom of expression and respect for cultural diversity." ■
