The first edition of the Kigali Triennial Festival kicked off last evening, February 16, attended by the First Lady Jeannette Kagame, City of Kigali Mayor Samuel Dusengiyumva and the Minister of State for Youth and Arts, Sandrine Umutoni. ALSO READ: New festival to position Kigali as a global cultural hub The evening kicked off with a performance by Ibihame by’Imana showcasing the beauty of the Rwandan traditional dance. Their mesmerizing performance caught attention if many revelers, as some were seen sneaking to the front row to record the performance. The performance was then followed by a play ‘Gamblers’ led by Diogene Ntarindwa, commonly known as Atome, and composed by Dorcy Rugamba and Fargass Assande. The play portrays three men and a young woman competing for oil money. ‘Fool’, the insider and the market man, is experienced in marketing and predation and wants the maximum profits for his own control. ALSO READ: More concerts to boost tourism, cultural activities in Kigali During the festival, Dusengiyumva expressed his gratitude to organisers for hosting the first edition of the Triennial Festival which he believes will not only help local artists of experienced artists but also provide week-long entertainment to Kigali residents. Umutoni also called on everyone to come through everyday of the festival and support young artists who will be showcasing their talents for 10 days. “ This was just a taste of what the Triennial Festival has to offer to you. I ask Kigali residents to attend the festival so that we make this industry as alive as possible,” she said. Dorcy Rugamba, Managing Director of Rwanda Arts Initiative said that the festival is an opportunity for everyone in the arts to network with other artists from across the world. He went on to say that the festival will offer a variety of workshops and conversations that will benefit artists. Music platforms such as Deazer and Universal Music, among others, will participate in forums held during the 10-day event. The festival also featured live performances by Esther Niyifasha, an Inanga player and Boukuru. Different artists like Andy Bumuntu, Mani Martin, Kaya Byinshi, Tonzi and Michael Makembe were present at the opening of the Triennial Festival. On Saturday, February 17, a lineup of different activities are planned to take place at various locations throughout the city of Kigali such as the premiere of Devil’s Gold Galamsey and ‘Trees Dance Sometimes.'
