The Tumaini festival, which was held in Beni, North Kivu, was a great success despite a context of permanent insecurity. With the theme “Resilience, civic engagement and peace”, this event brought together musical artists from different regions, who came to share their passion and their message of hope.
The atmosphere was festive at the October 15 stadium in Beni, where local artists and artists from Bunia, Butembo and Kasindi animated the second edition of the Tumaini festival. Among them, Franck Duks chose to use his music to convey a positive message: “Beni is good, but it’s war that hurts. The day there is peace, everything will be better in Beni”.
The BenArt group, meanwhile, wanted to convey a message of hope and commitment to peace. Their show highlighted the need to fight against insecurity in Beni and throughout the east of the country. They sang: “Insecurity in Beni, in the East, possibly without me, eradication with me, obligatorily”.
The festival was not only about music. Sephora Mugisho, a young girl’s rights activist from Goma, stressed the importance for the Congolese state to invest in youth to pacify the east of the country. According to her, employment and the opportunities offered to young people are essential levers to fight crime and build a better future.
The Tumaini festival has thus made it possible to bring together talents and committed voices to promote peace and resilience in a region affected by insecurity. Despite the difficulties, artists and activists have braved the odds to bring a message of hope to the people of Beni and across the region