An international theater festival opened Wednesday in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, providing a platform to showcase the power of performing arts.

The ninth Kenya International Theater Festival (KITFEST) 2024, which brought together theater professionals from across the globe, will also discuss challenges that the theater community has been facing over the years.

In his opening remarks, Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi lauded Kenya's theater community for their resilience over the years.

He underlined the value of theater in promoting critical thinking and raising social awareness, adding that theater is more than just entertainment.

"Theater speaks to what is taking place in the country. It helps you think. It sharpens your ideas and makes you a more analytical citizen," said Mudavadi, who is also serving in an acting capacity as cabinet secretary for culture, gender, affirmative action, and heritage.

KITFEST is an annual event that showcases diverse theatrical traditions from around the world.

This year, 16 countries are participating in the 11-day festival, which includes workshops, master classes, and performances aimed at fostering cultural exchange and collaboration.

Mudavadi urged those in the creative industry to continue using theater to address important national issues.

"Let us make the best out of this and work together so that Kenya can be a country we are all proud of," he said.

Mudavadi called for greater investment in the arts, urging the government and private sector to support the creative industry. "We must unleash the talents that we have in every sector of the economy, and the arts are one of them."

The festival serves as a testament to Kenya's growing reputation as a hub for creativity and artistic expression on the international stage, organizers say.

Mudavadi praised those who have kept the arts alive despite a lack of consistent government funding or support.

"I really want to say thank you for doing what you have done," he said, adding that the resilience of the community had been a driving force behind the continued success of the arts in Kenya.

He celebrated their efforts in fostering global cultural exchange.

"The courage and time taken to bring all these people together deserve recognition," Mudavadi said, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in theater.

He called on the theater community to embrace new ideas, particularly in the creative industries.

"When we open up and embrace new ideas, different things happen," Mudavadi said, emphasizing that Kenya's creative industry could drive economic growth and job creation.

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