Swedish singer Cherrie, real name Sherihan Hersi, was at her best as she mesmerised guests at the Harmonies of Expression arts project official opening ceremony at the Swedish ambassador’s residence last week.
Cherrie brought a bunch of lessons to local artistes in terms of attire, confidence and ability to express oneself intelligently as she paced up her set list, which had classical Rn'B songs like Eres mi amon (new song), Obsidion, Der jag borde vara, Tempo, Stockholm inatt, Aldrig igen and Mami.
The Swedish star provided not only additional warmth to the audience, which consisted of diplomats, artists, administrators and creatives, munching and swallowing European food and beverages.
The Harmonies of Expression is a project initiated by EUNIC Zimbabwe and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, Oxfam Zimbabwe, National Association of Community broadcasters and earGround.
EUNIC, European Union National Institutes for Culture, is Europe’s network of national cultural institutes and organisations, with 39 members from all EU member States and associate countries.
Swedish ambassador to Zimbabwe Per Lingarde said the EUNIC Zimbabwe cluster was formed by European embassies and institutions with the primary objective to pool resources and ideas together in support of a thriving cultural sector in Zimbabwe.
He rated the arts sector as a vital tool for uniting people and availing opportunities for conversations to lay the groundwork for co-operation and mutual understanding.
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In addition to this, the Harmonies of Expression seeks to connect art, heart and science. The project encompasses 37 artistes (10 from seven European countries and 27 from Zimbabwe.
It has the backing of the embassies of Sweden, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Portugal, Cyprus, the Alliance Francaise, the Zimbabwean German Society and the British Council which were all represented on the chilly evening. The embassies vowed to work with Zimbabwean artists to fight climate change.
“Culture and art unite people perhaps more than anything, creating opportunities for more cultural bonds to develop, thus laying an important groundwork for co-operation and mutual understanding. It was with this over-arching ambition that the project Harmonies of Expression came to life, uniting Zimbabwean and European artists in collaborative projects across a range of different disciplines, including dance, music, food, photography, fashion and more,” Lingarde said.
Napoleon Nyanhi, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe chief executive officer, said the EUNIC programme represented a bridge that connected “our local talents with the diverse cultures of Europe, creating opportunities for exchange, innovation and shared growth”.
“This partnership is more than just a series of projects; it is a testament to the belief that culture transcends borders. Through collaborative exhibitions, workshops, performances and residencies, we will nurture new artistic voices, celebrate our shared humanity and explore the intersections of tradition and contemporary expression. As the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, we advocate for a sustainable environment for our artists to thrive and engagements like Harmonies of Expression give Zimbabwean creatives the exposure they so much need,” he said.
