Harare, Zimbabwe

Initiated by Patsimeredu Edutainment Trust, a theatre for development organisation in Zimbabwe, the Buddyz Annual Festival Of The Arts (BAFA) is designed to celebrate the continued use of the arts in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and gender issues. The festival seeks to create a learning, networking, exhibiting, and showcasing platform for various development agencies, corporate entities, and non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe. It will include theatre performances, exhibitions, competitions, as well as organised and systematic networking sessions. Now in its third year, BAFA celebrates the use of expressive and creative arts as vehicles for development and empowerment of different communities.

Under the theme Arts 4 Lyf Now, this year’s festival will bring together individuals in the following fields:

• Dance
• Drama
• Poetry
• Visual Arts
• Music (traditional)
• Puppetry
• Workshop Facilitation
• Acrobats

According to the organisers, the name of the festival, "Buddyz", was chosen to deliberately create an experience sharing platform for "friends" or like minded individuals uniting for a common cause.

Click here for more information about the festival.

The festival is designed for young people, youth organisations, gender and HIV and AIDS support groups, and the general public.

The applications for showcasing performances and exhibitions closed on July 30, 2009. To enquire about attending, please contact the organisers using the details below.