The 2019 Zimbabwe Dream Star Finals, sponsored by the China Africa Economic and Culture Exchange Research Center and the Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation (JCMC), co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe was successfully held at the Harare International Conference Center on August 31, 2019. Chinese Ambassador Guo Shaochun and his wife, Counselor Wang Wei, Counselor Zhao Baogang, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services in Zimbabwe Monica Mutsvangwa and more than 6000 Chinese and foreign VIPs watched the Finals.
Since the launch of the Dream Star in April 20th and finally 17 players from all over the country entered the finals. 82 contestants performed the opening songs, and they ignited the enthusiasm of the audience with passionate dances and deep-touching songs. Thrilling and agile acrobatics and thought-provoking stage plays were staged one after another. The wonderful performances of the contestants set off the cheers and applause of the audience, bringing a high-level audio-visual art feast to the audience.
This is a long-awaited performance by Zimbabwean art youth, a performance that fully demonstrates the vitality and creativity of young African artists, a performance witnessing the friendship between China and Zimbabwe. After two rounds of fierce competition, the player Monalisa took the lead and became the first female champion in the history of Dream Star. She will form a Dream Star Art Troupe with previous winners and go to China to do the performance.
In his speech, Ambassador Guo Shaochun said that Dream Star has become the flagship project of China-Zimbabwe cultural exchange, becoming a platform which aims to tap into and nurture Zimbabwe young people’s talents to help them reach their full potential through the arts. Many talents have been discovered through the programme and up to now, almost 200 of young Zimbabwean artists have got the chance to go to China for various events, functions, festivals and culture exchange programs. The Chinese government and the embassy in Zimbabwe have strongly supported the project. This year we awarded full scholarships provided by the Chinese government to the six young artists who were selected from previous sessions of Dream Star show. Ambassador Guo said that China will continue to support the China-Zimbabwe culture and people-to-people exchanges, promote the commonwealth of the people, and create opportunities for more Zimbabwean aspiring young people to realize their artistic dreams.
Ambassador Guo reviewed the glorious history and outstanding achievements of China in the past 70 years, emphasizing that China is not growing alone as it is fostering good relations and cooperation with African countries under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative for the mutual benefit of China and African countries, including Zimbabwe. China-Africa relationship is deeply rooted in our common quest for liberation, justice and independence. We have never attached any political conditions to the assistance to Africa. This is our basic principle.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, expressed the appreciation to the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe and the overseas Chinese community for the outstanding contributions to the cultural exchange between Zimbabwe and China. She said that the Dream Star is an important platform for cultural exchanges in Zimbabwe and is known and loved increasingly in the nation. It provides valuable opportunities for young people to realize their dreams. The Zimbabwean side is willing to actively support the Dream Star event, which will promote the development of Zimbabwean cultural undertakings and inject more impetus into the friendship between the two countries.
The Dream Star has been held for 6 years since 2014. The organizers collaborated with many universities in Zimbabwe to discover young people with artistic talents. The Dream Star adheres to the tenet of actively integrating into the local society, promoting the development of local art and culture, and promoting the cultural exchange between China and Zimbabwe, creating a stage for local youth to realize their artistic dreams. In the past 6 years, more than 50000 local youths have participated, attracting more than 100000 people. In 2015, President Xi spoke highly of the Dream Star during his visit to Zimbabwe. In 2018, the Dream Star was selected as an excellent project for bilateral cultural exchanges under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Zimbabwean main stream media ZBC, Herald, Daily News and Daily News, Chinese Media Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group did the reports of the event.