HUAMBO: Promoting the rescue of ethical, moral, and cultural values for the moralisation and humanisation of communities is the main focus of the Angolan Theatre Festival, which opened today in Huambo with the participation of 400 actors. Staged at the ‘Manuel Rui Monteiro’ Cultural Centre in the centre of Huambo, the event, an initiative of ‘Nev@lfor Produções’, will run until the 30th of this month, showcasing actors from the provinces of Bengo, Benguela, Bié, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza-Sul, Huambo, Huíla, Luanda, Uige, and Zaire.
According to Angola Press News Agency, during this period, the groups of artists will be showing 16 plays with civic, ethical, and moral messages about suicide prevention, valuing and promoting cultural identity, experiences of tradition, habits and customs, and strategies to combat poverty. Speaking to ANGOP, the general coordinator of the Angolan Monologue Theatre Festival (FAMO), Nelson Pedro Nhanga, highlighted that the festival includes theatre workshops, solidarity actions, and
visits to the main tourist attractions in Huambo province.
Nhanga emphasized that theatre makes a decisive contribution to the moralisation of man, awakening various contextual situations, including juvenile delinquency, family breakdown, education, health, psychic-moral balance, and the spiritual fulfilment of any community committed to well-being. He praised the commitment of the actors and cultural agents who were involved in the process of national liberation and the conquest of independence on 11 November 1975.
The festival was inaugurated by the SOS Theatre group from Huambo province, which opened the event with the play ‘Escrava do pecado’, performed by actress Valentina Romeu.