Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Senator Pholile Shakantu has challenged young people to use the creative arts to tell Eswatini’sown stories, saying the country’s youth are its future cultural ambassadors.
The minister’s remarks were delivered on her behalf by the Chairperson of the Eswatini Tourism Authority Board, Penelope Mkhwanazi, during the official opening of the Genesis Ekucaleni School of Creative Arts Schools Festival at Mbabane Theatre.
The festival is a curtain-raiser for the October International Theatre Festival, which began on Wednesday. 
It featured three schools that qualified through the Inyatsi Schools Arts, Drama and Theatre Competitions – Vulamasango High School, Swazi National High School and Ngomane Primary School.
In her address, the minister said the day was more than a celebration of performance, but a celebration of talent, imagination, identity and possibility.
She said the stage set for the learners was more than a performance space. It is a classroom, a place of discovery and a platform for self-expression that could mark the beginning of a lifelong calling.
“Every strong creative industry begins by identifying, nurturing and believing in talent while it is still young,” she said.
The minister congratulated the three schools, stating that their presence at the festival was a result of talent, discipline, courage and teamwork.
She noted that winning the Inyatsi competition was not the end of the journey for the learners, but opened a new stage of learning and development.
She disclosed that Genesis Ekucaleni School of Creative Arts has spent the past two weeks supporting the preparation of the three schools by providing a director to work with the learners and refine their productions.
She commended the institution as the proud sponsor of the Schools Festival, saying its contribution reflects meaningful investment in young people.
“True sponsorship is not measured only through financial contributions. It is also demonstrated through the sharing of knowledge, skills, time and opportunity,” the Minister said through her address delivered by Mkhwanazi.
“By helping these learners prepare for today, Genesis Ekucaleni School of Creative Arts has shown what it means to invest intentionally in the future of Eswatini’s creative sector,” she added.
The minister said the festival programme goes beyond stage performances, with practical workshops included to equip learners with hands-on skills.
The workshops include Children’s Theatre, Creative Writing and Poetry, Directing, Dance and Theatre.
She said the workshops are intended to expose learners to the different disciplines that bring stories to life and to show that the arts offer diverse career paths.
“Not every young person will stand at the centre of the stage. Some will become writers, directors, choreographers, producers or teachers.
Others may discover their future in costume design, lighting, sound, film, digital content or event production,” she said.
The minister remarked that the creative arts should not be viewed as mere entertainment, as they play a critical role in shaping character and creating opportunities.
“The creative arts therefore offer much more than entertainment. They develop confidence, discipline, empathy, communication, teamwork and critical thinking.
They can also create real opportunities for education, entrepreneurship and employment. Most importantly, the arts give us the power to tell our own stories,” she said.
She stated that Eswatini has a rich history and living culture with many stories that deserve to be shared globally, adding that young people must never believe that meaningful stories can only come from elsewhere.
“Your experiences matter. Your voices matter. Your stories matter. Your dreams matter,” she told the learners.
Shakantu also thanked teachers and school leaders for recognising and nurturing the abilities of learners, noting that while academic achievement remains important, the education system must also create space for creativity.
“Sometimes, the learner who appears quiet in the classroom discovers a powerful voice through poetry. Another discovers confidence through dance.
Another finds purpose through theatre. We must create enough room within our education system for all these gifts to be discovered and developed,” she said.
In a direct message to the young performers, she urged them to take the opportunity seriously while enjoying the moment.
“Do not allow fear to silence the gift within you. Every accomplished artist once stood where you stand today, learning, rehearsing and wondering whether their talent was good enough,” she said.
The Minister said the learners are not merely participants in a school production, but the future of theatre and the creative arts in the country.
She said the government wants to see them progress beyond the school stage to national and international platforms.
“Today, you may be performing on a school or community stage, but we want to see you progress far beyond this moment.
We want to see your names on the programmes of major theatre productions,” she said.
The Minister said achieving that future will require more than talent, but discipline, continuous learning, resilience and courage.
She said the name Genesis Ekucaleni speaks to a beginning, and urged learners not to regard the festival as a destination, but as the start of new confidence, aspirations and creative journeys.
She further said the creative industries can serve as powerful instruments of cultural diplomacy.
Senator Shakantu congratulated Vulamasango High, Swazi National High and Ngomane Primary, as well as Genesis Ekucaleni, the festival organisers, directors, facilitators, teachers, parents and all who contributed to the event.
Mkhwanazi, on her own behalf, also congratulated the three schools and wished the young performers a successful and memorable festival.
