Luanda:Highlighting culture as a critical driver of national identity, social cohesion, and economic growth, Angola's Minister of State and Chief of the Civil Office to the President, Dionísio Manuel da Fonseca, addressed the nation Thursday evening during the 2026 National Culture and Arts Prize gala in Luanda.
According to Angola Press News Agency, da Fonseca emphasized that culture serves as a vital anchor for preserving collective memory and projecting Angola onto the global stage amid rapid technological and economic shifts. He noted that the executive branch continues to scale up investments in cultural heritage and infrastructure, asserting that human and economic development must advance in tandem.
Government officials pointed to major preservation milestones, including the designation of Mbanza Kongo as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the inscription of the traditional Sona drawing geometry on the intangible cultural heritage list, with ongoing efforts to secure similar recognition for Semba.
The gala featured top honors across several artistic and academic disciplines. Posthumous recognitions were awarded to prominent figures, such as acclaimed writer Henrique Abranches for literature and veteran musician António Manuel Fernandes, known as "Nanutu," for music. Visual Arts was won by Matondo Alberto for her exhibition "Nsinga ya Mfumu" (The Master's Hand), while Maria Esperança Pascoal ("Pocas Pascoal") was recognized in Cinema and Audiovisual for her contributions to film.
In Dance, Dilo Paulo Alberto was honored for his contemporary works "Memórias da Água" and "Muxima." The Theater award went to Maria da Conceição Diamante ("Sany Diamante") for her extensive career, and Cornélio Caley received recognition in Humanities and Social Sciences for his published work "Nas Duas Margens da Vida - Homenagem à Memória."
Closing the ceremony, da Fonseca encouraged the awardees and the broader creative community to continue telling Angola's story, inspiring younger generations, and strengthening the nation's cultural footprint across Africa and the world.
