GABORONE, March. 10– Tumiso Rakgare, Botswana’s minister of Youth, Gender, Sport, and Culture, has urged cultural performing groups to expand their operations beyond entertainment and into business. Rakgare made the call Saturday at the 8th Polka Festival in Tsabong, located in the Kalahari Desert, some 523 km from Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. The one-day festival’s goal is to promote cultural diversity, develop social harmony, and empower communities by showcasing creative expressions that represent their social and cultural fabric. He noted that, according to research, the creative economy accounts for between 2 percent and 7 percent of the national gross domestic product in numerous countries worldwide. “The creative industries have therefore become a source of commercial and cultural value. We need to be innovative in our entrepreneurial endeavors so as to differentiate our products and services and respond positively to market changes,” he said. He encourages festival participants to package the event on a variety of media and platforms so that it is accessible to the entire world. This would promote trade in creative goods and services, generating income for communities, individuals, and jobs. This is especially important in Botswana, where youth unemployment rates are increasing.
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