Report from Mali:

The war has got an impact on major events such as the Festival sur le Niger and the Festival au Désert. The Festival sur le Niger have been reduced for a special edition, without music and other festive activities, because... of the state of emergency in the country. For the special edition, we will have an International Symposium on the theme "Culture and Governance", Workshops and Master Class on the theme: "Peace and Social Cohesion", etc. The Festival au Désert have been cancelled for 2013, unfortunately. Generally, activities are in a slow motion. http://www.festivalsegou.org/

Joint Call for Proposals by Prince Claus Fund and Mimeta

The current call, jointly published by the Prince Claus Fund and Mimeta, welcomes project proposals, from organisations and individuals, for high quality, innovative cultural and creative initiatives with a positive impact on both the cultural sector and social development. Both the Prince Claus Fund and Mimeta have a special interest in projects that focus on freedom of expression and censorship.

The geographical call for projects only concerns the following countries:

Algeria, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and Swaziland.

The Programme Committee evaluates all applications according to the following criteria: Quality, Innovation, Engagement and Development Relevance, Costs, Freedom of Expression, Culture and Conflict.

This call has a special focus on projects with outcomes that enhance the right to fully exercise freedom of expression and that protect against censorship.

The development, scripting, production and post-production of short and full-length documentary, animation, experimental and feature films, as well as research and writing of literary works, novels, short stories, poetry and biographies is not included in this grant.

Organisations directly linked to Government are not eligible for this grant.

Download Call!

Ready to apply, see!

Stories from Mali

With the support of Mimeta three books are now published at the La Salihenne publishing - inspired from the rich and diversified well of Malien stories. From everyday life - to kings.  

TOUAREG 1973-1997
By Sidi Alamine Ag Doho

This book is the story of the long walk experienced by nomadic Tuaregs impoverished by successive droughts. Confronted with the harsh laws of wandering ( at  home and outside), the hard living conditions and  also the  thinning of solidarity and friendship too briefly lived,  a young boy crosses the borders of neighboring countries, without ever reaching a normal childhood. Become adult now, he witnessed the turbid of the political leaders and the rebellions that resulted from.
Going through the undecided lines of this book, the reader feels heartily very touched since so great is the injury of this child and his will to survive.  

The Author of the book:
Sidi Ag Alamine Doho is director of the school of  Tarkint, north of Gao. In early 1990 he was a typing agent to the “éditions de sahélienne”. He took the  advantage of this very short time of his busy life to start writing short stories about the Tuareg and tell his years of wandering.

IL N’YA QU’UN SOLEIL SUR TERRE (There is only one sun on the earth)!
(Kel-Adagh  Touaregs’ tales, proverbs and riddles) 
By Mohamed Ag Erless

The Kel-Adagh people live in the "Adrar Iforas" in the Kidal region, city of the same name located about 1,600 km from Bamako, the capital of Mali.
The Adagh-which means "mountain", is renowned for the abundance and quality of its oral literature. This literature is the backbone of the traditional education which aims to build the child in the image of typical Haman being.
In Adagh, tales, proverbs, riddles, poetry, music ... do not belong to any particular social stratum, but to all of them.

The Author of the book:
Mohamed Ag Erless was born and raised in Adagh. Social scientist, currently director of the Cultural Mission of Kidal Es Souk, Ag Erless is a pure product of the Institute of Social Sciences of Mali, where he started his career thirty years ago.

ABUBAKARI  II (EXPLORATEUR MANDINQUE)
(ABUBAKARI  II,  AN EXPLORER FROM MANDE)
By Gaoussou Diawara

The author achieves in this book the synthesis of more than twenty years of research on the Mandingo emperor Abubakari II, who, in 1312, voluntarily relinquished the power and then explored the limits of ocean. His fleet would have anchored on the coast of Brazil.

Abubakari II was one of the pioneers of the era of great discoveries ... Before Christopher Columbus, Magellan and Vasco de Gama.

The Author of the book:
Gaoussou Diawara was born in Ouelessebougou, some 80km in the south of Bamako. He completed his primary and secondary schools in the country before obtaining a doctorate (PH. D Specialty Drama) in Soviet Union. He is author of several award-winning work created for the stage or studied in schools and universities in Mali. Gaoussou Diawara is a Knight of the National Order of Merit in France, Knight of the National Order of Merit of Mali, UNESCO Prize for poetry and Cross-African drama prize.

Suzanna Owiyo, promo in Norway

Suzanna Owiyo - Photo: Linda LieThe celebrated Kenyan singer, Suzanna Owiyo, visits Norway for the Mimeta launch. Last time on Norwegian soil - she at attended the Nobel Peace Prize Concert - for laurate Wangari Maathai. Main reason for Suzanna coming this time is to present her work to the music industry, festivals and press. She is also part of the Imagine Africa CD with the track "Tich en Tish".

For more information, see Imagineafrica website
And buy directly on the web: For sale here!

CinemAfrica industry Filmforum

Pratik Vithlani, MimetaDuring the CinemAfrica Filmfestival in Stockholm, starting 24th February, Mimetas head of the Business Development Program - Pratik Vithlani - will moderate the Industry Filmforum session, focusing production and distribution of African Cinema.

Pratik has during the past year worked closely with the GoDown Arts Centre in Kenya, supporting the development of the creative industries in the region, to strengthen entrepreneurship and supporting the growth of businesses within arts, culture, film, music. Pratik has a background from management consulting and private equity industries.

Imagine Africa, the campaign

Mimeta has taken onboard the Imagine Africa campaign from the former Culture Initiative of Strømme Foundation. We coordinate activities, web-based communities and run the website. Imagine Africa is a campaign to Promote and Strenghten African Arts. It contributes to the communication of African Arts, expressions of reasoning and creative industries.

The starting point was the opening remarks Imagine Africa by Breyten Breytenbach at the ARTerial, Conference on Vitalizing African Cultural Assets, on Gorée Island, Senegal, in March 2007. (See the full text on www.imagineafrica.org).

How to use the stamp? See: The Culture Resource website