By Chisomo Phiri
The Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) has hailed the continued growth of its Cultural and Research Innovation Festival, describing the second day of this year’s edition as highly promising.
In an interview with journalists on Saturday,Executive Dean of the Bingu School of Culture and Heritage at the institution,Dr. Atikonda Akuzike Mkochi Mtenje, said the festival launched in 2023 is steadily becoming an important platform for promoting Malawian culture, arts, and innovation.
“We are very happy to see the festival growing each and every year. Communities from the surrounding areas, including Goliati, are here, and so are representatives from different industries. It is such a great honour to witness this kind of participation,” said Mtenje.
She stressed that science and technology can only thrive if rooted in culture and heritage.
“At MUST, we believe that for the country to move forward, we must embrace our culture and heritage. Advancing science and technology must be done within the context of who we are.That is why the festival deliberately incorporates every cultural aspect, including traditional attire,” she said.
Mtenje revealed that the first day of the festival exceeded expectations, with over 40 academic papers presented in what was initially planned as a one-day conference.
“It was overwhelming to see so many scholars and practitioners discussing the synergies between culture, arts, science, health, and medical sciences. This showed us the need for more time for such important deliberations,” she said.
Looking ahead,Mtenje said the future of the festival looks bright and called on Malawians to embrace it as a permanent part of the country’s cultural calendar.
“The festival is here to stay. Already, I have international colleagues who have expressed interest in attending after seeing what is happening. In the future, we will have more international delegates, giving us an opportunity to showcase Malawian culture beyond our borders,” she said.
The Executive Dean also applauded Standard Bank for supporting the event with K40 million, describing it as a strong show of confidence in the power of arts, culture, and heritage.
“What Standard Bank has done shows a strong belief in what arts, culture, and heritage can achieve. This is a wake-up call for other corporates to support the creative economy.With Malawi being a youthful nation, supporting the arts means investing in the energy and creativity of young people, which is essential for development,” she said.
On his part,business mogul Napoleon Dzombe praised the festival as the first of its kind and described it as a colorful and inspiring occasion.
“I am very grateful to be part of this event taking place here at MUST.I have seen a lot of innovative products that our young people are coming up with, and I believe the time has come for those with financial resources to support them so they can produce what Malawi needs,” he said.
Dzombe also stressed the importance of empowering local scientists and innovators in the country by drawing lessons from global success stories.
“Japan is Japan today because of its scientists who developed different products.What these young Malawians are doing is impressive and they just need support to turn things around,” he said.
This year’s festival was held under the theme ‘Igniting Scientific Innovation, Promoting Heritage Towards Achieving Malawi Vision 2063’.
It featured performances from various artists including Gibo Pearson, Theresa Phondo, Sean Morgan, and Trappy Beats.
