Kinshasa, August 30th, 2026 (CPA).- Concrete proposals are expected from the artistic community of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has been invited by the Congolese Head of State – as one of the nation’s driving forces – to take part in the national dialogue planned for the country, according to a cultural expert interviewed on Sunday by CPA. “In his latest address to the nation, the President of the Republic, Felix Tshisekedi, has cited artists amongst the various sectors of Congolese society called upon to be consulted and to participate in the national dialogue process. Representatives of artists and the cultural sector should come to the dialogue with specific and concrete proposals for culture and for the nation,” has declared Didi Kembola, an expert on cultural affairs. “(…) The national dialogue therefore represents an important opportunity for artists and cultural stakeholders to raise these concerns at the highest level of government: the effective implementation of the Artists’ Statute, social protection for artists, the modernization of copyright management, the reorganization of the sector, funding for creative work, the development of cultural and creative industries, the construction of infrastructure, training and, more broadly, the definition of a genuine national cultural policy, he has emphasized. In his view, artists should not focus solely on their professional problems. “They are also citizens. They have a voice, influence and a responsibility within society. Their words can help bring Congolese people closer together, pass on the collective memory and strengthen the sense of belonging to a single nation,” the expert has argued. “Artists must therefore seize this historic opportunity. They must propose solutions to bring order to the cultural sector, but also, as citizens, contribute to the national debate on peace, reconciliation, social cohesion and the strengthening of the unity of the Congolese people,” he has added.
Gratitude to the Head of State
Mr Kembola has expressed his gratitude to the Head of State for this gesture of consideration towards arts and culture professionals, which can help build DRC we want: a united, beautiful, prosperous country, proud of its diversity and identity, where lasting peace finally reigns across the entire national territory. “We thank the Head of State for making room for artists in this national process. Being invited to the dialogue table is a mark of recognition. Arriving there with concrete proposals is a responsibility,” concluded the Congolese expert.