10 Dec 2024

Paramount Chief of Bangwato Kgosi Khama IV has vowed to promote arts, culture and natural heritage in his area of jurisdiction.

Speaking during the official opening of the 2024 Art of the Heart exhibition at Khama III Memorial Museum in Serowe on Thursday, he said it had always been his ambition to promote arts, to improve the standard and quality of life of artists.

Kgosi Khama said he had formed committees that would be cascaded across his area of jurisdiction as a course of action to promote arts, natural heritage, buildings and sites of historical significance as well as monumental sites.

He urged relevant authorities to identify and have an inventory of all monumental and heritage sites in the area and proposed that roads leading to such areas be constructed to ease accessibility.

He said sites of outstanding universal value needed staircases, pathways and walkways to avert injuries at monumental and heritage sites.

He said he was going to be a custodian of culture and arts, hence pledged support to ensure growth of the industry, noting his passion in the arts industry dated back from his two terms while he was serving as President of the Republic of Botswana.

He commended Khama III Memorial Museum management for hosting exhibitions of such kind, noting they would go a long way in promoting upcoming and seasoned artists.

He said the museum was where history and culture came alive through engaging exhibits and artifacts, adding that the museum was doing a great job of conserving local history of the area and the Khama dynasty.

Ministry of Sport and Arts Serowe District coordinator, Ms Boitshepiso Makwati hailed the event and said it was encouraging to see an exhibition of such magnitude.

She said the exhibition went beyond leisure to business and also transcended business boundaries to other spheres of life.

Ms Makwati stated that arts were now a source of livelihood and expressed happiness that Serowe region was doing well in that area, citing Mmabesi Live Band from Serowe who were crowned 2024 national championships during the arts competitions.

She said some students were not talented in mainstream education but gifted in vocational education thus arts accorded them an opportunity to have an alternative to focus on what they knew best.

Ms Makwati warned that the country’s economy was heavily reliant on diamonds and therefore, arts were another avenue that could be exploited to diversify the economy.

She said Batswana were creative because of the infinite nature of natural heritage and therefore challenged artists to tap into the blessing that would take the economy to another level.

She said arts were a form of employment creation to artists, and encouraged people to earn a living from their talents.

Ms Makwati explained that good quality products marketed themselves and warned against overpricing as it might scare away consumers.

She stated that there was a conducive environment for artists to thrive in the country and therefore, implored them to take advantage of that.

She said artists should do more than enough to ensure their products were of best quality that would attract consumers and allow business growth.  ENDS