The government has officially declared May 2026 as National Culture Month, with the city of Bulawayo designated to host the main festivities on May 21.
The month-long celebrations will be held under the theme “Creativity and Diversity: Advancing Vision 2030 through Cultural Expressions,” a concept rooted in the Unesco World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister, Paul Mavima, announced that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will preside over the main event at Bulawayo’s Barbourfields Stadium.
Mavima lauded the president’s role in championing culture as a cornerstone of national development and a safeguard for Zimbabwean identity in a globalised world.
Far from being a mere ceremonial observance, Mavima emphasised that the month serves as a strategic platform for National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
The programme is designed to drive skills development, talent identification, and innovation among the youth, aligning with the country’s human capital development goals.
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“Through exhibitions, workshops, and community-based initiatives, we are nurturing a generation that is both culturally grounded and economically productive,” Mavima said.
The minister highlighted the economic potential of the "orange economy," noting that Culture Month positions creative industries as viable sectors for employment creation, entrepreneurship, and wealth generation.
By strengthening value chains and allowing artists to commercialise their work, the government aims to enhance the creative sector's contribution to the national GDP.
The initiative is also vehicle for social cohesion and national unity. Mavima described culture as a "powerful instrument for integration, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence."
While Bulawayo hosts the national peak, a diverse array of activities will roll out across all ten administrative provinces throughout May and into June, with provincial launches led by ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution.
Mavima issued a call to action for all Zimbabweans to take pride in their roots: “Our heritage must not only be preserved but must also be lived, shared, and continuously reimagined.”