On Monday evening in Kigali, the sound of music tuning up at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Amphitheatre will not signal just another performance rehearsal. This year, it signals something deeper: a call for healing.
For the artists participating in the 2025 Ubumuntu Arts Festival, the stage has become more than a platform for creativity—it’s a space for truth-telling, especially about mental health, a silent struggle many carry alone.
“Artists are often the society’s healers,” says Brian Geza, the festival’s Stage and Tech Manager. “But behind the scenes, many of us face personal struggles—depression, anxiety, substance abuse—which aren’t talked about enough.”
This year, the festival—now in its 11th edition—is making space to talk. With a full Mental Health Day planned on July 14, artists and audiences alike will explore the emotional well-being of creatives and communities through workshops, performances, and open discussions.
Mental Health at Center Stage
Mental health is one of the themes woven throughout this year’s festival, whose 2025 theme is “Overcoming, dare to dream.”
The opening day’s programming is specially crafted to address the unique emotional toll that artists and creatives face. Events will include interactive sessions, peer-led discussions, and expressive performances aimed at breaking stigma and encouraging vulnerability.
Mental health has become a growing issue in Rwanda, especially in the post-genocide era. According to the Rwanda Biomedical Centre, 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 10 children in Rwanda experience mental health challenges. Depression affects 11.9% of adults, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects 3.6%, and substance abuse disorders stand at 1.9%.
“This initiative aims to foster honesty, vulnerability, and peer support so that we can truly care for the well-being of our creative community,” Geza said.
“When artists prioritize their mental health, it amplifies the power of their messages and helps sustain their ability to inspire hope.”
A Festival with a Mission:
Founded in 2015 by renowned Rwandan theatre director and peacebuilder Hope Azeda, the Ubumuntu Arts Festival has grown into one of Africa’s leading spaces for socially engaged art.
Each year, it gathers artists from around the world to use performance as a tool for healing, remembering, and rebuilding human dignity.
Reflecting on the journey, Azeda said the festival’s theme this year came from deep personal and collective reflection.
“After ten years you ask how did we even make it and think about how we came this far,” Azeda said during a press conference. “But one has to listen to the inner child to follow the dream whatever the outcomes, positive or negative.”
“This year’s theme came from a place of deep reflection—how do we continue to dream when faced with adversity? How do we overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable?”
The 2025 festival will run from July 14 to 20, featuring more than 30 countries and transforming key venues—including Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village (Camp Kigali)—into vibrant hubs for dialogue, art, and community building.
Highlights of Ubumuntu 2025:
July 14 – Mental Health Day
Opening day dedicated to emotional wellness. Interactive workshops, peer support circles, and stage performances will address mental health issues affecting artists and wider society.
July 15 – Memory Caravan
The festival travels beyond Kigali, visiting genocide survivor communities with storytelling, healing performances, and intergenerational dialogue.
July 16–17 – Cultural Diplomacy Unconference
An informal gathering of artists, policymakers, and thinkers to explore how art can influence global discussions and public policy.
July 17 – Music is Humanity & Ikaze Night
An evening of musical performances from African and global artists, celebrating the power of sound to bring people together.
July 18–20 – Ubumuntu Classic
Three nights of powerful performances in theatre, dance, spoken word, and multimedia at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Amphitheatre.
A Global Moment for Rwanda:
This year’s Ubumuntu Arts Festival also comes just days before Rwanda hosts the International AIDS Society (IAS) 2025 Conference—the world’s most influential HIV science event.
Mental health and resilience will be central to both events, as artists and global health leaders converge in Kigali with a shared purpose: healing, through art and action.
“Rwanda continues to prove that the arts are not just entertainment—they are essential to public conversation, policy, and personal healing,” said Naoka Fukushima, a returning artist from Japan. “This festival is more than a show; it’s a shared human experience.”
As Ubumuntu enters its second decade, it reaffirms its original purpose: to remind us that even in the face of pain, we can choose hope—and that art, at its best, helps us dream again.
Performance at Ubumuntu Art festial in Kigali
The Ubumuntu Arts Festival takes place at an beautiful Amphitheatre at Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre/Photo Ubumuntu Arts Festival
Photo Ubumuntu Arts Festival 2016
Ubumuntu Arts Festival.
