Watch UNESCO’s A Thousand Colours film featuring Music In Africa Foundation

The 19-minute video aims to humanise the concept of cultural diversity and the role that organisations such as the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) play to protect and promote it.

With music from Hugh Masekela (South Africa), Abel Selaocoe (South Africa), Yo-Yo Ma (US), Fatma Saïd (Egypt), Oslan Husein (Indonesia) and Nemours Jean-Baptiste (Haiti), the film addresses key observations and testimonies from a number of key global cultural actors including UNESCO goodwill ambassadors and advocates.

“The work that we do gives us the privilege to see how important art is, not only in South Africa but [across] Africa as well,” MIAF director Eddie Hatitye says in the video. “For us, beyond the social aspects and how it brings us together as people, it defines us and gives us identity. It’s important also to really start to see that art is changing people’s lives and giving people hope and putting food in people’s mouths.”

Also featured in the video is MIAF projects manager Violet Maila, who emphasises the importance of cultural diversity. “It’s exciting for us as the MIAF to see how collaboration and mixing and matching things bring people together. Without that, then I think we would be in a difficult space as a society. It’s the glue that puts everyone together.”

The film features different art forms such as painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, music, cinema and theatre while shining a spotlight on artistic expression, freedom of expression, cultural expression and cultural diversity.

Other cultural professionals interviewed in the film include cultural policy expert and writer Yarri Kamara, UNESCO assistant director-general for culture Ernesto Renato Ottone Ramírez, international cultural relations expert Anupama Sekhar, UNESCO artist for peace Barthélémy Toguo, UNESCO goodwill ambassador Sir David Khalili and cultural economy professor Andy Pratt.

The speakers lauded the role played by UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity in supporting cultural diversity and expression through funding for initiatives like the 2020 Music In Africa Revenue Streams for African Musicians (RSFAM) project.

The film is available on YouTube in English and French here and here.