Currently eight partner countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda and Norway) and a number of cultural institutions are involved. In each country a national UMOJA Ensemble is established, through auditions. The ensembles and institutions cover areas from music and dance, to circus and acrobatics.
Norwegian development authorities have been financially supporting UMOJA since 2003.
The Eastern Cultural Flying Carpet includes Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Norway – and for the first time this year – Uganda! The local partner in Uganda is Makerere University, Dept. of Performing Arts and Film. The UMOJA Festival, were all the National Ensembles of the 5 countries participate, will take place in Kampala in the period 23-30 September.
The Festival brings together a group of talented young people, teachers, administrators and professional artists. The Festival offers participants an oportunity to develop and promote skills and get new ideas; to interact to gain cultural understanding and respect; to stimulate cross-over work and create artistically interesting results. The Festival offers the public spectacular artistic outcomes showcased through various performances.
The National Theatre is the venue for performances by the 5 national UMOJA Ensembles during the weekend of 23-25 September. On Friday 30 September, the 80 artists will perform together in the International UMOJA Show to be shown at the Ndere Centre.
“Umoja – Cultural Flying Carpet - it’s so wonderful, I wish the whole world would learn from them. Because when you see this, you know that these students will know each others culture and there will never be any room for fights and war.” Quote by the former Miriam Makeba, patron of Umoja CFC