This edition theme being culture and creativity for sustainable development, the ArtXchange conference took place in Nairobi Kenya on 18th of November 2021. The event saw cultural stakeholders from Kenya, Somalia, Italy, and Tanzania come together to exchange and share case studies and best practicals on how local cultural hubs can foster innovative processes and re-generate their spaces and territories for new working opportunities. Speaking at the event virtually, the Awjama Cultural Research and Reading Centre director and founder Fardowsa Jamaac,
hailed the organizers for putting up such an event for cultural stakeholders. “Awjama Cultural Centre has always and will always be a creative space in the community where the youth, women, and the disabled can come and read, or be part of a workshop that will change their lives”- Said the director during her virtual presentation. She also showcased the works that Awjama has done before for the community, these include: women and culture workshops, where deaf and blind, women and young girls from humble backgrounds come to the center and get trained on hands-on skills such as beadworks, basket weaving, tailoring, carpet weaving Henna design among others. And also for the youth photography and videography workshops, arts and storytelling workshops among others.
In her presentation, she also congratulated the Somali National Museum as it embarks on a journey to preserve Somali Heritage which the center has always preserved through the annual cultural week, Somali Heritage Week. She also thanked the community for being part of the center since its inception year in 2013.
Much appreciation went to CISP CISP Kenya who collaborated with CoopCulture-,the largest organization managing cultural spaces in Italy, the Italian Cultural Institute Nairobi – IIC Nairobi UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa for putting up such a great conference.
