Jinja International Art Festival Celebrates Talents, Advocates for Animal Welfare

Jinja, Uganda – October 27, 2024 – Art and culture is integral in advocating for animal welfare. This is evident from the just concluded Jinja International Art Festival, which commenced on October 24 showcasing an incredible array of artistic talent from across the globe.

Artists from Rwanda, Comoros, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe came together to celebrate cultural diversity and advocate for animal welfare through their creative expressions.

Ian Muriu, The Digital Content and Communication Officer at World Animal Protection, said “As a global animal welfare organization, we are participating in this year’s festival using art as a powerful tool to advocate for animal welfare.”

He added: “Our presence at the festival underscores the critical role that creativity plays in raising awareness about the plight of animals and the importance of creating a new world for animals where they live free from cruelty and suffering.”

The festival featured a spoken word poetry competition and discussion workshops meant to scout for animal advocacy themes and empower the artist in their craft.

Kennedy Leaky Odongo from Greentalk Art said, ”Art can transcend borders and communicate universal messages. Through our collaboration, we aim to inspire change and promote compassion. We hope to create a networked movement of artists globally using art to create a better world for animals.”

The artists are called upon to use their talents to advocate for just courses in society as there are connections between artistic expression, community engagement, and advocacy for sustainable practices.