Columbia Global Centre hosts forum for Tanzanian artists

By DAILY NEWS Reporter 

THED Columbia Global Centre has hosted a forum for Tanzania artists aimed at speaking out about their music, community service projects, advocacy at work and the future of the Tanzania’s development in general.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam during the forum, Prof Yogi Trived from Columbia University in New York City said that the forum has been named beyond the music and has discussed issues affecting the Tanzania society and how social influencers including artists can play a role in finding solutions to such problems.

Trived said that there are many amazing examples of music being used around the world as a tool for learning and social change as well as building movements.

Still, few artists are actually taking advantage of the prodigious influence they have.

“Beyond the Music” is a discussion series moderated by a community activist that has dived into deep conversations with artists who believe in the power of advocacy and activism in music, Trived added.

“It is important for artists to understand that they have a power to drive community related projects. It is just a matter for them to understand that and use the influence they have,” said Trived, adding that the role of artists is not just to entertain but there is more than that.

Webiro Wassira popularly known as Wakali, said that they were proud to attend such a forum aimed at transforming the industry of music in the country something which many artists have been looking for.

‘I must appreciate the Columbia Global Centre for inviting us to this forum to come and speak about what we can do to our country. I believe if we join our hands together we can take this country to the next step,’ Wassira said.

Citing one of the community projects which has been undertaking, Wassira said he participated in tree planting project in Kilimanjaro region which was aimed at reducing cutting down of trees and the project was very successful.

‘The project was called Kili Tree planting project.

I was tasked to be the influential and was to go to adoption with current weather changes.

I call the government and other organisations to understand that we artists can use our fanbases to boost for major projects within our community, he added.

Other artistes who took part at the forum included Rosa Ree, Malaika, Wakazi, Lulu Diva and Izzo Bizness.