The Ubumuntu Arts Festival returns this July for its annual weeklong celebration of performance, dialogue, and community healing. From July 14 to 20, 2025, the festival will once again transform the Kigali Genocide Memorial Amphitheatre and other key venues into vibrant spaces of hope, remembrance, and shared humanity. Founded in 2015 by Hope Azeda, the […]
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The Ubumuntu Arts Festival returns this July for its annual weeklong celebration of performance, dialogue, and community healing. From July 14 to 20, 2025, the festival will once again transform the Kigali Genocide Memorial Amphitheatre and other key venues into vibrant spaces of hope, remembrance, and shared humanity.
Founded in 2015 by Hope Azeda, the award-winning Rwandan theatre director and peacebuilder, the Ubumuntu Arts Festival was born out of a deep desire to use the arts as a catalyst for healing.
Over the past decade, it has grown into one of Africa’s leading platforms for socially conscious performance, welcoming artists from over 30 countries and becoming a space for global reflection on peace, justice, and human dignity.
“Ubumuntu is more than a festival—it’s a calling,” says Hope Azeda, 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 Schedule Highlights:
July 14 – Mental Health Day
A full day focused on raising awareness about mental health, with special attention to the challenges faced by artists and creatives. Attendees can expect interactive workshops,
performances, and open discussions aimed at reducing stigma and promoting emotional well-being.
July 15 – Memory Caravan
This moving outreach initiative takes the festival beyond Kigali to honor survivor communities affected by the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Through storytelling, artistic performances, and healing activities, the Memory Caravan amplifies voices often left unheard and fosters intergenerational dialogue.
July 16–17 – Cultural Diplomacy Unconference
A unique, informal convening of global artists, cultural diplomats, policymakers, and thought leaders, the Unconference explores how arts shape global understanding and policy. This space prioritizes human stories, shared learning, and imaginative problem-solving.
July 17 – Music is Humanity & Ikaze Night
A concert full of energy and hope, celebrating the unifying power of music. Featuring performances from African and international artists, this evening offers uplifting rhythms, powerful lyrics, and a collective reminder that music is a universal language of peace.
July 18–20 – Ubumuntu Classic
Held nightly at the Kigali Genocide Memorial from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, this grand finale series will showcase a carefully curated selection of global performances. Through theatre, dance, spoken word, and multimedia, artists will engage with themes of memory, identity, resilience, and hope.
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