Benguela - The construction and rehabilitation works to transform the former National Assembly (parliament) building into a House of Artists, Music and Theatre Palace are due to start this year, the Culture minister, Filipe Zau, announced Friday.
Built in colonial times as a cinema-theater in Luanda, the building became the headquarters of the Angolan parliament after the proclamation of independence, being currently unused following the inauguration of the new parliament building.
The Culture minister, who was coy on the amount to be spent in the rehabilitation project, also announced, for this year, the beginning of the rehabilitation works of the Cultural Centre of Huambo.
Filipe Zau said this will provide better conditions and greater opportunities for artists to present their work in the future and benefit from social support through the Casa do Artista (House of Artists).
The minister added that the Culture sector must work to guarantee copyright and related rights of artistic works, having advanced that a seminar will be held in the short term, to guarantee intellectual property of Angolan artists.
Semba and Kizomba, Candidates for Intangible World Heritage
After the achievement of elevating the historic and secular city of Mbanza Kongo to World Heritage in 2017, Angola is now fighting for the candidacy of Semba and Kizomba musical styles as intangible world heritage.
Domestically and internationally, according to the minister, the process of recognition of Semba and Kizomba as Intangible World Heritage is already widely disseminated worldwide and not only by Angolans.
The decision for the Angolan music and dancing styles to join the list, where fado (Portugal) and (morna) Cabo Verde, eternalized by Cesária Évora, its diva, are already included, belongs to Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible World Heritage, an independent body, after the endorsement of UNESCO, based in Paris.
The proposal to promote Semba and Kizomba as intangible world heritage was first launched in 2018, But so far the goal hugely supported by people of the culture sector is still to be achieved.
Considered as a cultural symbol of Angola, the precursors of Semba were Liceu Vieira Dias, considered an icon of Angolan music, Alberto Teta Lando, the group Ngola Ritmos, Elias Dya Kimuezo, among others.
Kizomba is a musical style and dance originated in Angola.
One of the artists credited with being a pioneer of the Kizomba style is the singer/songwriter and producer Eduardo Paim, in the 1980's.
