Sidvokodvo – Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla praised artists with disabilities who took to the stage during the Disability Music and Arts Festival at The Luke Commission Auditorium.
The historic event, which took place this past week, brought together musicians, poets, dancers, dramatists, painters, fashion designers and storytellers from across Eswatini. The auditorium was transformed into a lively space filled with colour, music and creative expression.
Dladla told the audience that the festival had proven to the nation and the world that “disability is not inability.” She said the gathering provided a platform for artists to display their talents while also advancing the goals of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
She outlined five key objectives guiding the initiative: to raise the visibility of disabled artists, change mindsets about inclusion, expand access to markets, promote collaboration between artists, and influence policies that strengthen Eswatini’s cultural economy.
The Deputy Prime Minister also thanked government departments and sponsors for making the festival possible, noting that transport was provided to ensure participants from all regions could attend.
Minister for Tinkhundla, Sikhumbuzo Dlamini, said his ministry has begun supporting artists at constituency level by paying them for their work and creating opportunities for growth. He commended Dladla for her commitment to uplifting vulnerable groups.
United Nations Development Programme representative George Wachira urged engineers, designers and planners to make towns and communities more accessible. He also encouraged both public and private sectors to ensure reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities in workplaces.
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