05 Mar 2024

Botswana’s rich cultural heritage of song, dance, fashion and cuisine were on display on Monday evening at the National Museum as President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi and First Lady Neo hosted visiting Estonia President, Alar Karis, his spouse Sirje Karis and their delegation as they commenced their four-day state visit to Botswana. 

Speaking at the cultural evening, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Lemogang Kwape said Botswana was rich in cultural tapestry, and the event accorded the visiting party an opportunity to view and saviour national sound, apparel and palate. 

“Botswana, like Estonia, has a rich cultural heritage. 

With her centuries-old traditions, Botswana holds a treasure trove of cultural expressions that reflect the rhythm of our people’s lives. 

From the captivating dance moves that tell stories of our ancestors and our way of life, to the soul-stirring melodies that resonate with our emotions, our cultural performance represents the very essence of our nation’s identity,” Dr Kwape said. 

The evening’s entertainment showcased the splendour of Botswana’s cultural expression through musical performances; the soul stirring acapella vocals of Andante Choral Choir, the borankana of Culture Spears and Ditiro Leero as well as modern Setswana Soul of Samantha Mogwe, which, blended with the traditional cuisine, bogobe le seswaa, mosutlhane le koko ya Setswana on offer, gave the visitors a distinct local welcome. 

This was profound as the state visit offered the space for Botswana to create avenues for artistic collaboration and exchange of ideas with their Estonian counterparts, Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Tumiso Rakgare proceeded to say. “This visit not only symbolises a step towards enhancing our bilateral ties, as highlighted by my colleague Minister Kwape, but also opens doors for potential cooperative ventures in various domains. 

Our nations are united in the endeavour to uplift, celebrate, and globalise our creative and sports industries, contributing significantly to Cultural and Sport Tourism,” Rakgare said. 

He stressed that the parallel between Estonia’s Tallinn’s Song and Dance Festival and Botswana’s National Arts Festival, both scheduled for July, would present a good prospect for cross-cultural exchange and mutual inspiration. 

“Furthermore, the Viljandi Folk Festival, renowned globally, offers a model for promoting our creative sectors more effectively, including our distinctive four-string guitar folk music, showcasing our talents on the international stage,” Rakgare said. Ends