A musical project aiming to create spaces for rich cultural interaction between Nile Basin countries launched its music gathering in Nairobi, Kenya at Kuona Trust Arts Centre.
The second edition of the musical residency — lead by Miles Jay — brings together 14 talented musicians from Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda who will, in a collaborative manner, compose a body of songs inspired by the Nile Basin’s diversity in music traditions and instruments.
This year, the nile project plan was to build on the success of last year by inviting a more diverse pool of musicians, expanding its performance circuit to more Nile Basin countries, and launching the project’s education and innovation programmes at partner universities.
The Nile Project not only utilises music as a common language, to bridge gaps across diverse cultures that exist around the Nile, but also hosts ‘Nile Workshops’ at universities, starting with Egyptian universities in late last year.
The African tour set to take place this year’s residency will include not only concerts promoting the new musical collaboration but also talks and workshops on sustainability and development challenges of the Nile at universities in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt.
In addition to the workshops, the crew is launching ‘The Nile Prize’ targeted at students who develop innovative solutions to regional challenges. These projects will be supported by the programme over the span of one year.
Through music and workshops, the Nile Project sets out to expose audiences to the music of neighbouring countries and offer a space of open dialogue around Nile issues. The project aims to connect the 11 nations, and 437 million people, who live around the Nile but that often fail at recognising themselves as a region.
Due to polarisation in these countries caused by tense political relations and conflicting media coverage, especially recently with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam capturing headlines around the world, the Nile Project attempts to offer an alternative path for dialogue and communication among Nile Basin citizens.
This is the Nile Project, celebrating the Nile day at Kuona Trust Arts Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
Photography:: Joel Lukhovi
Photography by Joel Lukhovi 