Kenya is planning the first-ever international Maasai festival in the country this year.
The event according to the organisers will be held at the Maasai Mara in August and will coincide with the annual wildebeest migration.
Apart from the Maasai cultural activities and fashion spectacles being showcased during the weeklong fest, sponsors will also get opportunities to display their services and products.
Tourism cabinet secretary Penina Malonza who spoke in Nairobi during the launch of an initiative that will see the organisers lobby funds to stage the event said culture was one of the greatest tools used by nations as a source of power for international diplomacy.
Cultural diplomacy, she noted, is a key player in international relations as it makes it easier for nations to understand each other through their cultures.
“The Maasai culture is one of the most unique cultures which serves our nation internationally and plays a huge role in our tourism sector...very few Africa cultures can claim the fame and universal appeal that the Maa has earned both locally and internationally,” she stated.
The upcoming festival which she disclosed will also happen after a Royal tour guide by President William Ruto will provide an opportunity for private and public partnerships to promote cultural entrepreneurship.
“It will also provide an opportunity for conservationists around the World to meet and discuss the conservation of the Maasai game reserve,” she added.
Present during the event were Foreign affairs principal secretary Korir Sing’oei, EAC secretary general Peter Mathuki and Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku among envoys from various countries.
Sing’oei voiced similar sentiment underscoring the value of culture as an asset that facilitates interaction across nations.
“There are frontiers where ordinary diplomacy cannot cross but which cultural diplomacy and Maasai culture is today one of those assets that we have as a nation that unites us and brings us together,” he said.
PS Sing’oei also stated that the government will be working closely with other communities so as to position the country better.
He reckoned that Kenya is a great country with incredible sportspersons, amazing artists, civilizations and history beyond politics.
Maa Education Trust chairperson Andrew Sunkuli said they intend to hold the festival yearly.
He also appealed for support from well-wishers to support the event.