Global Youth Groove are this year’s Kenyan representative at the #Jamafest2019 currently being held in Tanzania. The event kicked off on 21st and scheduled to go on until 28th September In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to official Jamafest website, the event’s theme this year is Cultural Diversity: A key Driver to regional interrogation, Economic growth and Promotion of Tourism. The Festival is featuring a carnival, art exhibitions, a symposium, live performances, films, literary works, a fashion show and tradition games.
So how did GYG Band become Kenya’s representatives at the festivals? “The Director & CS for culture from Kakamega County came to audition our band at Masinde Muliro University and got impressed, so other officials got invited from Nairobi Presidential Press Music Commission and Ministry of Culture and they too were also impressed.
This led to our band being picked to perform at the festivals. – Stated Sammy Lutomia, GYG founder.
“It’s humbling to see the GYG Band representing Kenya at the JAMAFEST. This is the first time our band is performing outside Kenya and as the saying goes, A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
We are definitely looking forward to invest in developing the band so they can perform at global events.” – Added Sammy Lutomia in his closing remarks.
Other Kenyan artists at the festival are Isukuti cultural group and Vitimbi; A leading Kenyan comedy group who truly deserve a Honorable mention.
In a picture published on twitter by PS Heritage Josephta O Mukobe 23rd Sep 2019, Cabinet Secretary for Sports Culture & Heritage was also spotted having a good time with Kenyan artists and actors during the event in Dar Es Salaam.
The caption read that Government continues to support Exposure, growth and Development of talents across the country.
This year’s program involved assigning Kenya the task of making a presentation on Persons with Disabilities and Cultural Diversity for Regional Integration, South Sudan will present on Policy and Regulatory Frameworks for the Promotion of Culture and Creative Industries, while Rwanda will prepare a presentation on Kiswahili language as a catalyst for Regional Integration.
The East African Community Arts and Culture Festival, popularly known as Jumuiya ya Africa Mashariki Utamaduni Festival (JAMAFEST) came to life after the EAC Council of Ministers in September 2011 directed the EAC Secretariat to organize regular festivals of the kind, and Rwanda was consequently selected to host the first edition of the Festival in 2013, with Kenya hosting the 2015 edition and Uganda the 2017 edition.
It aims to promote socio-cultural integration through arts and culture by providing a platform to showcase culture as a primary driver of regional integration.
Global Youth Groove is a non-profit organization that enhances and broadens the musical abilities of the youth. Currently with a Community Centre in Kakamega, the space enables the youths to develop their musical talents by giving them access to musical instruction, various musical instruments and music technology.
