H.E.

Ambassador Hanne-Marie Kaarstad`s speech at the signing

ceremony with Muda Africa and Nafasi Art Space, 11.10.2017
Dear Executive Secretary of BASATA, Mr. Mngereza
Dear members of Muda Africa and Nafasi Art Space,
Dear members of the press,
Dear friends of arts and culture,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Habari za mchana! / Good Afternoon!

It is a great pleasure to be here with you today at Nafasi Art Space.

Norway and Tanzania have had a close partnership during many years. Through
our 50 years long development cooperation, we have also had a longstanding
cooperation in the cultural sector. Today is a day where we will continue to
strengthen the bonds between our countries, at the same time as we are helping
to secure the future of arts and culture in Tanzania.
Supporting the culture sector is also part of Norways support to the Tanzanian
Government`s poverty reduction strategy, the National Five Year Development
Plan, which recognizes the importance of culture for development. Culture is
not only something extra, something expendable culture is a crucial building
block in building vibrant human societies and national identities.
Norway strongly believes that support to culture through local cultural
institutions enhances freedom of expression, organizational development, and
capacity building. We are convinced that investment into education and the
creative industries will be a crucial investment in ensuring a bright and creative
future for Tanzania.

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has in 2017 decided to grant

2 950 000 NOK in support to the Tanzanian culture sector. This is in line with
Norway`s strategy for culture and sports co-operation through:
Promoting the development of free cultural expression and cultural
diversity
Promoting the development of expertise, quality and professionalism in
the cultural sector
 Supporting cultural infrastructure, including meeting places that will
provide artists and other cultural actors with opportunities for
development
Protect and promote tangible and intangible cultural heritage

I have the great honor today to sign the agreements for Norway`s support to two
of Tanzanias leading culture institutions: Muda Africa (1 000 000 NOK) and
Nafasi Art Space (900 000 NOK).
Muda Africa has many years of experience in providing the Tanzanian people a
platform for contemporary and African dance, through arranging an international
dance festival, running a dance school - where 80% of its first class of graduates
found employment, and giving girls more access to dance through their outreach
programmes.
Nafasi Art Space, which is for many known as Dar es Salaam`s culture hub,
has many years of experience in supporting visual and performing artists
cultural rights and freedom of expression, as well as professionalization through
training, exhibition and job creation. Nafasi is also doing an important job in
enhancing visibility of female artists, in a sector that is seen to be male
dominant.

Norway believes that both institutions are proving encouraging spaces for artists
to freely create artwork they believe in. In addition, they are giving the general
public access to arts and culture experiences, and as culture and art is all about
communication - invites every one of us to engage in peaceful dialogues in order
to better understand our heritage, our identity, the time and the society we are
living in- and the challenges we are faced with.

I would like to end with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi:

No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.
With this, please join us and continue to make sure that art and culture is
accessible for all people, and that the artists gets room for expressing themselves
freely through their creative works.

Asanteni sana / Thank you!