All Set for 3rd TIFAZ Edition at Mkoba Teachers College in August

Preparations are in full swing for the third edition of the Tertiary Institutions Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe (TIFAZ), which is scheduled to take place from August 5 to 7 at Mkoba Teachers College in Gweru. The three-day event will run under the theme “Sustainable Transformation through Creativity and Responsible Citizenry”, and will bring together students from across the country to showcase their artistic and cultural talents.

The festival will feature a diverse lineup of artistic disciplines including traditional dance, textile and fashion design, graphic and commercial design, drama, poetry, visual arts, and music. The event is expected to attract around 2,000 students from various tertiary institutions, offering them a national platform to display their creative skills and innovation.

TIFAZ chairperson Atanas Ruzive expressed excitement about this year’s edition, emphasizing the importance of using arts as a vehicle for sustainable development. He noted that while the festival will engage the local community in Gweru, participation will be limited to students from tertiary institutions.

“We have already engaged the community but our events are open to tertiary students to showcase their talent,” said Ruzive. “Students should maximise this opportunity as it enhances the development of the country through arts.”

According to Ruzive, the goal of TIFAZ is to provide students with an opportunity to apply the skills they acquire in their academic programs to real-world cultural expression. By focusing on creativity and responsible citizenship, the festival aims to encourage young Zimbabweans to play an active role in national development through the arts.

Several colleges have confirmed their attendance, along with two major universities — Midlands State University and Chinhoyi University of Technology — with more expected to come on board in the coming weeks. The festival will also enjoy the support of the government, with the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Dr Olivia Muchena, expected to officially open the event.

Ruzive expressed his gratitude for the minister’s involvement, stating, “Dr Muchena who is the Minister of Higher Education will grace the opening of the event and we are grateful of that.”

Last year’s edition, which was hosted in Bulawayo, saw strong participation from institutions across Zimbabwe, and organizers are confident that this year’s festival will surpass previous milestones in terms of attendance, quality of performances, and national impact.

As the countdown begins to what promises to be a vibrant celebration of Zimbabwean creativity, the 2024 edition of TIFAZ is poised to further establish itself as a critical platform for nurturing talent, promoting cultural heritage, and contributing to national development through the arts.