Title: The “Proudly Ndundu” festival returns to Kinshasa: an event to fight against discrimination
After two years of absence, the “Proudly Ndundu” festival is back in Kinshasa from June 12 to 13 with the theme “SUCH AS YOU ARE”. The event organized by the ASBL “Plus de couleurs” was announced by director Yan Mambo Kasongo during a press conference.
The “Proudly Ndundu” festival aims to promote and celebrate the beauty and uniqueness of people with albinism, while fighting against the discrimination they face. The concept of “More colors” is to mix all the color differences of a skin in a community and put them together in perfect harmony.
The particularity of this sixth edition is the creation of three prizes to reward people who support the fight for the recognition of albinos in society. The first prize, named in honor of the wrestler Mwimba Texas, will be awarded to a person with albinism who has distinguished himself in society. The second prize, named Kabasele Prize, will be awarded to a non-albino person who actively supports albinos in their fight, while the third prize, named Belgian Police Ilunga Prize, will be awarded to a pair made up of an albino person and a police officer involved in raising awareness and recognition of the albino community.
In the DRC, people with albinism are victims of discrimination and persecution, in a society where ignorance and popular beliefs still die hard. Through festivals such as “Proudly Ndundu”, the ASBL “Plus de couleurs” shows that the fight against discrimination must continue, both in terms of collective awareness and legal measures that can reduce it.
This festival is an opportunity to raise public awareness of the condition of albinos and to restore their confidence. As a celebration of difference, it is a reminder that all human beings have an inalienable right to dignity and respect, regardless of their appearance or skin color.