The Ubumuntu Arts Festival, one of Africa’s leading platforms for socially engaged performance, returns this July with a powerful lineup of events aimed at healing, remembrance, and celebrating shared humanity through the arts.
“Ubumuntu,” a Kinyarwanda word meaning “being human,” captures the spirit of a festival rooted in empathy, storytelling, and social justice. The annual festival creates space for dialogue, encourages healing, and challenges us all to rethink what it means to be human.
Running from July 14 to 20, the 2025 festival will once again transform the Kigali Genocide Memorial Amphitheatre and other key venues into vibrant spaces for performance, dialogue, and community building.
Founded in 2015 by acclaimed Rwandan theatre director and peacebuilder Hope Azeda, Ubumuntu Arts Festival was born out of a desire to use creative expression as a means of healing. Since then, it has welcomed artists from more than 30 countries, addressing themes of peace, justice, and human dignity.
Now in its 11th year, the festival continues to grow its global reputation as a haven for artists, peacebuilders, and audiences committed to storytelling as a force for change in Rwanda and beyond.
“Ubumuntu is more than a festival—it’s a calling,” says Azeda, the Festival Curator and Founder. “It’s a call to remember our shared humanity, to tell the stories that hurt and heal, and to stand together in truth and empathy. Every performance, every conversation, is a step toward collective healing and transformation.”
2025 Festival Highlights:
July 14 – Mental Health Day
The festival opens with a full day dedicated to mental health, focusing especially on the unique challenges faced by artists and creatives. Programming will include interactive workshops, open discussions, and performances aimed at breaking stigma and promoting emotional well-being.
July 15 – Memory Caravan
Taking the festival beyond the city, the Memory Caravan travels to genocide survivor communities to honor their experiences through storytelling, performance, and healing activities. The initiative encourages intergenerational dialogue and gives voice to often-overlooked narratives.
July 16–17 – Cultural Diplomacy Unconference
This informal convening of artists, diplomats, policymakers, and global thinkers explores the role of the arts in shaping public discourse and international relations. Emphasizing shared learning and creative problem-solving, the Unconference offers a unique space for human-centered policy conversations.
July 17 – Music is Humanity & Ikaze Night
An evening of music and celebration featuring both African and international artists. This high-energy concert underscores music’s power to unite across borders, bringing audiences together in a spirit of hope and solidarity.
July 18–20 – Ubumuntu Classic
Held nightly at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Amphitheatre, the festival’s grand finale will feature a curated selection of global performances in theatre, dance, spoken word, and multimedia. These evenings promise profound artistic reflections on memory, identity, and resilience.
As the Ubumuntu Arts Festival enters its second decade, it continues to stand as a testament to the power of art to heal wounds, spark dialogue, and inspire collective action toward a more empathetic world. 
