Minister Umutoni discusses role of arts in Rwanda’s economic transformation

Rwanda’s Minister of State for Youth and Arts Sandrine Umutoni, has said that the country, just like other countries across the globe, turning more and more to the creative industry considering the potential it has on positively driving the country’s economic development. Umutoni was speaking during an interview with TV5 Monde discussing the role of arts in Rwanda economic development. The Minister was in attendance when Rwanda and France signed a partnership agreement between Amizero Dance Kompagnie and the Chaillot national theater in Paris on May 17, in joint efforts to promote culture as a vector of economic development. ALSO READ: Rwandan fashion, music merge in Paris Highlighting the role of arts to the economic development of Rwanda, Umutoni said that, looking at other countries, arts is one of the sectors that promotes the development of the economy and Rwanda is on the move towards that direction. “We observe what is happening around us. We see that many other countries have succeeded in this challenge of putting culture ahead,” Umutoni said. “So, we are promoting what makes us who we are today; we want to share it with other nations, but we have also come to realize that today around the world the creative industries receive much more attention.” “We realize, in fact, that, for certain countries, beyond leisure, beyond preferences or certain artistic talents, there is really an entire economy behind it. And any country that wants to project itself into the future, that really wants to develop from an economic point of view in a sustainable way, is turning more and more to the creative industry because we see the potential,” she added. Rwanda-France cultural partnership Minister Umutoni graced the partnership signing between Rwanda's Amizero Dance Kompagnie and Paris-based Chaillot national theater. Amizero Kompagnie is the first professional contemporary dance company in Rwanda. Co-created by Rwandan choreographer and dancer Wesley Ruzibiza with the University of Rwanda Centre for Arts and Drama in 2005, the company has since then developed its own autonomy with different partnerships in the region and with international structures. Winner of the silver medal at the 6th Jeux de la Francophonie in Lebanon, the company have merged to offer a full program of creations, professional training, dance awareness programs and performances in both dance and theater. According to Umutoni, the long term partnership between the two creative forces will equip Amizero Dance Kompagnie to grow and become more professional and play a role in the development of the country. This partnership will also enable cultural exchange where the two countries will learn about each other’s culture. Umutoni said that it was the best time for Rwanda and France to bring together talents through building partnerships in arts 30 years after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Some dozens of players in Rwandan creative industry including choreographers, musicians and fashion designers, are in Paris where they honored the invitation of the French Ministry of Culture to showcase their artistic talents in Paris. Rappers Bushali, B Threy, and Green Ferry’s Dr Nganji, all credited with the growth of Kinyatrap headlined performance purely around the genre besides attend a documentary screening. They also participated in a photo exhibition highlighting the creation of Kinyatrap. On a similar occasion, Moshions team, consisting of models, designers, photographers, musicians, and many others, are also in the capital of France to launch the fashion house’s latest couture collection, Infaransa, which was previously launched at Moshions’ headquarters in Kigali. Reflecting on the package that Rwandan artists took to Paris, Umutoni said, “ we really see there is a fusion between artistic expression and other parts of our history, including memory, including the celebration of certain key moments in our history.” “So Rwanda is making this contribution to the rest of the world and we thank the Ministry of Culture here in France which invited us, but also the Theater Chaillot which offered much more symbolic platform, a platform which really shows that a lot of beautiful things are on the horizon, and a lot of development will be possible thanks to this culture,” she added.

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Minister Umutoni discusses role of arts in Rwanda’s economic transformation