​This morning, the energy in the room was palpable. I attended the “Love Your City Bulawayo” creative conversation, hosted by the Bulawayo Arts Festival. To say it was inspiring and enlightening would be an understatement, it was a definitive eye-opener. The gathering brought together artists, storytellers, cultural leaders, and city-builders to tackle a massive question: What is the true role of a creative in shaping a flourishing city?
​The overwhelming takeaway? We are not just entertainers. We are the essential architects of Bulawayo’s future.

​The morning was anchored by The Four Pillars: seeking the city’s flourishing, beholding it with eyes of faith, engaging its imagination, and telling a true story. For a local kasi mag, these pillars represent exactly what our communities need to hear.

​Opening the Space & Global Perspectives
​The morning kicked off with warm, visionary opening remarks from host and convener Tariro Chaniwa, who set a powerful tone for why this specific conversation matters for Bulawayo right now.

​We then heard from Ronald Moyo representing the British Council Zimbabwe, who spoke on their long-standing commitment to using arts and culture as drivers for urban flourishing.

Elena Constantinou followed with a crucial global perspective, introducing the UNESCO framework for Creative Cities and urban flourishing. It was a timely reminder that the cultural work we do in our local neighborhoods connects to a massive global movement.

​Bringing it right back home, Noma Damasane spoke from a municipal perspective on behalf of the City of Bulawayo. Hearing a direct dialogue between city authorities and the creative sector about developing a thriving urban community felt like a major step forward.

​One of the most profound segments of the morning came from creative entrepreneur Mpi Ndebele, founder of The Oasis Creators Hub. In his keynote, “Reimagining the City with Eyes of Faith,” Mpi challenged everyone to stop looking at Bulawayo merely as it is today, and start beholding it for what it could be. He shared the prophetic imagination behind The Oasis, showing how dedicated creative infrastructure can completely transform our city’s landscape.

​Following Mpi, the legendary playwright and arts leader Raisedon Baya took the stage for a featured address that shook the room. Baya argued passionately that culture is not just an “ornament” or an afterthought, it is the living soul of the city. He broke down how our stories, our theater, and our everyday creative acts form the literal identity, memory, and moral fabric of Bulawayo.

​The event culminated in an open, high-intensity panel conversation.
The floor opened up to the audience to debate tough, essential questions:

• ​What does it mean to love your city as a creative?
• ​What does Bulawayo need from its artists right now?
• ​What does a truly flourishing Bulawayo look like?

​The insight raised during this dialogue was incredible. It moved the conversation away from complaints and pivoted entirely toward collective responsibility.

After a powerful live Creative Response performance from a festival artist, Tariro Chaniwa closed the session by leading the audience through the Love Your City Pledge, a collective commitment for every attendee to play an active part in building our city up.

​As the program transitioned into networking, the room was buzzing with ideas. For our local creative scene, the message is clear: our pens, our voices, our designs, and our beats are tools for civic transformation. It’s time to love our city by telling its true stories and actively building its future.
​Let’s carry the vision forward.