Matilda Phiri (Author & Poet) reciting her poem to pupils at Phaloni Primary School in Phalombe The Malawi Parliament has passed the long-awaited Arts NAHEC (National Arts, Heritage, and Cultural) Bill, a landmark decision set to revitalize the country’s creative industries. This bill is expected to enhance support for various artistic talents, including literature, music, film, and other cultural expressions, marking a significant step in promoting Malawi’s rich heritage and diverse talents. As an author, I can’t wait to see the impact this will have on writing and other talents in our country. This bill will offer much-needed support to creatives, providing platforms for their work to thrive and be appreciated both locally and globally. The bill, which aims to establish a framework for nurturing and promoting the arts, has been widely supported by the creative community. With new funding opportunities and institutional backing, many expect that the next generation of Malawian art

                                                                                    A Malawian model (Linly Mayenda) B Y MATILDA PHIRI Malawi is one of the countries in Africa that is not fully developed in the modeling industry. We cannot compare Malawi to South Africa, where the fashion industry is well developed. South Africa has numerous magazines, many of which feature models, unlike in Malawi. They also have a multitude of modeling agencies that groom models for fashion events, TV extras, magazines, and various advertisements. Is it because South Africa is a big and well-developed country, or is it simply because the people there have a passion for it? We see on TV how different countries have fashion weeks every year, where different celebrities attend, wearing designer clothes, and models showcase the designs on runways. However, this hardly happens here and only occurs sporadically. Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa host such events almost every year, and these countri

Malawi Blantyre Arts Festival (BAF) 2022 Blantyre Arts Festival was last year 2022 celebrating its 13 th anniversary from 8 th to 9 th October, under the theme climate resilience through cultural preservation. The theme attracted partners from different sectors as well as schools. The program started on Thursday with a grand opening at Amaryllis hotel in Blantyre when it had its official partners for 2022. The event was spiced up with Nyau traditional dance, thereafter on a Friday 7 th October, there was a street cultural carnival from Blantyre old town hall to Njamba Freedom Park where the venue was. The cultural street carnival was well decorated with brass band, cultural troupe dances, drama, poetry and some University activities. On a Saturday, the program started with workshops on climate change, panel discussion on culture and tourism, environmental management, creative arts and cultural management. In the afternoon, there were performances from different artists like Tempo

REWARD FOR WRITERS Malawian Writers from left, Matilda Phiri, Luckier Chikopa, Alfred Msadala and James Ng'ombe at Mibawa Television in Malawi, By Matilda Phiri. I would like to concur with the late D.D Phiri's article on "Rewards for Writers," which appeared in the Daily Times on November 7, 2018. May his soul rest in peace forever! The late DD Phiri talked about how writers are wonderful members of society who protect history, culture, and status. Without writers who recorded the teachings of Israel's prophets, including Jesus, the Christian religion as we know it today would have suffered greatly. He added that it is past time for businesses and sponsors to pay closer attention to both the nation's fiction and nonfiction writers. Even though they continually let us down, our football and netball friends have a large number of sponsors who show up to support them every day. They also receive support from the Sports Council, but writers do not receiv