From November 8th to the 13th, the University of Global Health Equity will host the inaugural edition of Hamwe Festival in Kigali, Rwanda. The annual event will celebrate and encourage the contributions of the creative industries in the global health field. 

Hamwe, which means “together” or “unity” in Kinyarwanda, is the result of the collaboration between global health professionals and creatives who share the same belief that, in order to achieve global health equity, bridges must be built across sectors. Fostering cross-sector collaborations and shared investments will generate innovative approaches resulting in better health outcomes for all. During the festival, artists, creative entrepreneurs, global health professionals, academics and other participants will showcase how the power of the arts and creativity can be successfully leveraged to generate health and equity gains and reflect together on how more can be done. 

Throughout Hamwe, UGHE will host a visual art exhibition showing how visual art and beauty can be medicine. A concert will take place during the festival where artists who use their platforms to advance women’s health issues will perform. Lectures and panel discussions will take place featuring speakers who successfully used arts and humanities to generate health or health systems improvement. Renowned French philosopher Cynthia Fleury will present a lecture about her work analyzing the relationships between stakeholders in clinical settings and how philosophy can be a transformative tool for health systems. 

To demonstrate its commitment to reimagining health education and strengthening the bridges between creative communities and global health, UGHE will host the first of what will be an annual Masterclass. The Hamwe Masterclass will be taught by experts working on the front lines of the “arts in health” field, using the transformative power of the arts to improve health. This year will feature Dr. Mehret Mandefro, a primary care physician and international filmmaker who uses the context of her background to craft narratives that explore the social determinants of health. 

Hamwe Festival exists because we believe that societies develop and grow through creativity and collaboration. With this festival, we want to build new bridges and to strengthen the existing ones between the global health and creative communities.

To learn more about Hamwe Festival and the events that will be organized between November 8th and November 13th, follow Hamwe on Twitter (@hamwe_festival) or send questions to hamwe@ughe.org.