President Arthur Peter Mutharika has commended the inaugural Roots of Malawi Culture Festival for its mission to promote unity and peaceful coexistence among Malawians.
The festival, founded by multi-award-winning artist Tay Grin and organised by Black Rhyno Entertainment, is scheduled for 17 October 2026 at Umodzi Park in Lilongwe.
In a letter dated 4 September 2026, President Mutharika acknowledged an invitation to attend the festival and praised the national purpose behind the initiative.
“The intention to promote unity and coexistence through this Culture Festival is highly commendable,” the President said.
Although unable to attend due to prior commitments, President Mutharika has delegated the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture to represent him at the event.
He also conveyed his “best wishes for a successful event.”
Tay Grin said the President’s response reinforces the wider vision behind Roots of Malawi: to create a national platform where Malawians from different cultural, tribal and regional backgrounds can come together, celebrate their heritage and strengthen their shared identity.
“Roots of Malawi is bigger than entertainment. It is about bringing our people together through the one thing that belongs to all of us , our culture,” Tay Grin said.
“Whether you are Ngoni, Chewa, Yao, Lhomwe, Tumbuka, Tonga, Sena or from any other community, this is your platform. We want Malawians, especially young people, to come in large numbers, celebrate who we are, learn from one another and be proud of being Malawian.”
He said Malawi’s cultural diversity should be viewed as a source of national strength.
“This is an opportunity for us to show that our different traditions do not divide us. They make Malawi richer. We may come from different communities, but ultimately we are one people and one nation.”
Roots of Malawi will bring together traditional leaders, cultural groups, artists, young people, families, entrepreneurs, creatives, government representatives, private sector leaders and members of the development community.
The programme will feature traditional music and dance, food, fashion, arts and crafts, storytelling, traditional games, cultural exhibitions, entrepreneurship showcases and live performances.
Organisers are targeting more than 3,000 people for the inaugural edition, with the long term ambition of building Roots of Malawi into an annual national cultural platform that celebrates heritage, promotes tourism, creates economic opportunities and strengthens national unity.
Tay Grin said the festival should ultimately become a platform through which Malawi can tell its cultural story both at home and internationally.
“Our culture is one of Malawi’s greatest assets. If we preserve it, celebrate it and present it properly to the world, it can unite our people, inspire the next generation and help position Malawi internationally.”
Black Rhyno Entertainment is continuing engagements with government, traditional leaders, the private sector, development partners and cultural stakeholders ahead of the October event.
Further announcements on participating cultural groups, artists and programme activities are expected in the coming weeks.
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