Foyer Culturel de Goma

Last updated
Foyer Culturel de Goma
Location Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Type Cultural center
Opened2011;13 years ago (2011)
Website
https://foyercultureldegoma.org/

The Foyer Culturel de Goma (meaning "Goma Cultural Center"), colloquially referred to by its acronym FCG, is a cultural center and art school located in Goma, North Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It serves as a regional key institution for promoting arts as a driving force for peace, reconciliation, and social change in the African Great Lakes region. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The center provides artistic education to nearly 600 young people and adults annually, offering courses in various disciplines such as vocal performance, piano, guitar, percussion, spoken word, dance, and cinema. [3] [4] FCG also plays an integral role in the community's cultural development by partnering with local families and schools. [3] As the birthplace of the Amani Festival, the most significant cultural event in the region, the Foyer Culturel de Goma has established itself as a cultural reference in the city. [5] [6]

Organization

Foyer Culturel de Goma is noted as the birthplace of Goma's annual Amani Festival. 815A0066 (51865197167).jpg
Foyer Culturel de Goma is noted as the birthplace of Goma's annual Amani Festival.

Foyer Culturel de Goma's organizational structure is centered on an executive management team responsible for overseeing all activities. This team comprises a director, a head of administration and finance, a head of external relations and events, an educational and artistic coordinator, a communications officer, and a logistician. [3] Additionally, the center employs a teaching staff of 10 instructors who provide training in various artistic disciplines. A support team, comprising seven musicians and one technician, assists in the production of performances. [3]

Courses

The Foyer Culturel de Goma offers a wide range of courses:

Guitar

The guitar course is divided into two pedagogical tiers. [7] In Level 1, students learn basic guitar concepts, focusing on simple chords like G, C, E, D, A, and R, alongside basic three-beat and two-beat rhythms. [7] Level 2 introduces students to barre chords, scales, and arpeggios, allowing them to work on songs and more advanced techniques. [7]

Spoken Word

The spoken word course emphasizes the art of speech, teaching students the skill of public speaking. [8] It covers two main areas: Poetry , where learners explore rhythm, rhyme, meter, and prosody; and Dramatic Art , which includes theatrical activities and the performance of dramas and comedies. [8] This course fosters students' ability to use language artistically in public life. [8]

Piano

The piano course introduces students to the instrument's various components, such as the keyboard and keys. [9] The curriculum includes exercises for finger movements, mastering scales, modes, harmony, rhythmic improvisation, and an introduction to reading musical notes in both treble and bass clefs. [9] The course is divided into beginner and advanced levels, with a focus on allowing students to progress toward composing their own music. [9]

Dance

The dance program at the Foyer Cultural de Goma encompasses traditional African dance, contemporary styles, Afro-dance, and Congolese ndombolo. [10] Students are categorized into beginner, advanced, and professional levels. The course emphasizes regional traditional dances, particularly from North Kivu's twelve ethnic groups, as well as modern and creative dance forms. [10]

Vocal Performance

The vocal performance course is structured into two groups. Beginners are introduced to their voice as an instrument and learn basic vocal techniques. [11] Advanced students dive deeper into vocal techniques, stage performance, and music theory. To further enhance learning, a choir is created where students work on a variety of gospel and popular music repertoires, allowing them to assess their progress. [11]

Percussion

The percussion course familiarizes students with various percussion instruments, including the djembe, drums, marimba, balafon, likembe, and maracas. [12] Structured across beginner, advanced, and professional levels, advanced participants have the opportunity to join the professional ensemble, Tambour du Kivu, which performs at regional cultural events. [12]

Cinema

The cinema program aims to equip students with theoretical and practical filmmaking skills. The course is divided into three specializations: [13]

  1. Acting: Focuses on helping students harness their voice, gaze, and body language in front of the camera.
  2. Directing and screenwriting: Teaches students the fundamentals of fiction and documentary filmmaking, from writing screenplays to technical breakdowns and directing.
  3. Technical aspects (image, editing, sound): Trains students to use cameras, editing software, and sound equipment effectively.

Kivu Fanfare

The FCG collaborates with the Amani Festival and the French group Mortal Combo to maintain a professional civilian fanfare, Kivu Fanfare. [14] Members of Mortal Combo lead workshops to enhance the skills of local musicians, including saxophonists and trumpeters. [14] The fanfare performs a repertoire of popular and original compositions at regional events. [14]

Educational and artistic exchanges

The center also engages in educational exchanges, both nationally and internationally. Domestically, it collaborates with the National Institute of Arts (INA) in Kinshasa. [15] Internationally, it partners with several conservatories in Belgium, including those in Verviers, Liège, and Brussels. [15] These exchanges allow trainers to acquire advanced knowledge through annual three-month training programs in Belgium, culminating in public performances. [15] Furthermore, FCG receives support and financing from organizations such as Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI), En Avant Les Enfants (EALE), and MusicFund. [16] [17] [18]

History

The Foyer Culturel de Goma was established in 2011 by the Belgian association En Avant Les Enfants (EALE), an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development initiatives for vulnerable mothers and children in Goma. [19] In 2013, FCG became the birthplace of the Amani Festival, which was conceived by the center's trainers and management, who sought to use art as a means to promote peace, cultural appreciation, and social harmony within the conflict-affected African Great Lakes region. [5] Over time, the Foyer Culturel de Goma gained prominence as North Kivu's key cultural hub, playing an instrumental role in supporting the development of young local artists and contributing to the production and industrialization of art and culture in the region. [20] On 11 March 2020, the center entered a new phase of growth with the signing of a donation contract with the Japanese government in Kinshasa. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Kivu</span> Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

North Kivu is a province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Goma. The 2020 population was estimated to be 8,147,400.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goma</span> Provincial capital and city in North Kivu, DR Congo

Goma is the capital and largest city of the North Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu and shares borders with Bukumu Chiefdom to the north, Rwanda to the east and Masisi Territory to the west. The city lies in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift, and is only 13–18 km (8.1–11.2 mi) south of the active volcano Mount Nyiragongo. With an approximate area of 75.72 km2 (29.24 sq mi), the city has an estimated population of nearly 2 million people according to the 2022 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uvira</span> City in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Uvira is a city strategically located in the South Kivu Province of the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated between Lake Tanganyika and the Mitumba Mountains, spanning approximately 16 square kilometers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Goma</span> University in the DRC

The University of Goma is a public university strategically situated in Goma, within the North Kivu Province of the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UNIGOM was established in 1993 as the Centre Universitaire du Nord-Kivu (CUNK) and later elevated to university status in 2005. It offers education primarily in French and aims to provide quality education, conduct research, and serve the community. The university's rector is Muhindo Mughanda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kivu conflict</span> Conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Kivu conflict is an umbrella term for a series of protracted armed conflicts in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo which have occurred since the end of the Second Congo War. Including neighboring Ituri province, there are more than 120 different armed groups active in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Currently, some of the most active rebel groups include the Allied Democratic Forces, the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo, the March 23 Movement, and many local Mai Mai militias. In addition to rebel groups and the governmental FARDC troops, a number of national and international organizations have intervened militarily in the conflict, including the United Nations force known as MONUSCO, and an East African Community regional force.

Kanyabayonga is a town straddling the Lubero and Rutshuru territories of North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Administratively, the part which is in Lubero is the commune of Kanyabayonga and, the part in Rutshuru belongs to the Kanyabayonga groupement (grouping) which extends well south of the town and is within the Bwito chiefdom. The region as a whole has seen much armed conflict since 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">March 23 Movement</span> Revolutionary military group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The March 23 Movement, often abbreviated as M23 and also known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army, is a Congolese rebel military group. Based in eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), it operates mainly in the province of North Kivu, which borders both Uganda and Rwanda. The M23 rebellion of 2012 to 2013 against the DRC government led to the displacement of large numbers of people. On 20 November 2012, M23 took control of Goma, a provincial capital with a population of a million people, but it was requested to evacuate it by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region because the DRC government had finally agreed to negotiate. In late 2012, Congolese troops, along with UN troops, retook control of Goma, and M23 announced a ceasefire and said that it wanted to resume peace talks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goma (commune)</span> Commune in North Kivu, DR Congo

Goma is a commune of the city of Goma in the North Kivu Province of the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It encompasses the southernmost sector of the city, extending from the principal main road towards the shores of Lake Kivu. As per a 2018 estimate, the commune had approximately 333,727 residents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">École Belge de Kigali</span> Private, international school

The École Belge de Kigali is an International school in Kigali, Rwanda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innoss'B</span> Congolese musician (born 1997)

Innocent Didace Balume, known professionally as Innoss'B, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, rapper, percussionist, dancer, and philanthropist. Often referred to as the "Jeune Leader", he is renowned for pioneering the AfroCongo music genre, an eclectic fusion of Congolese rumba, indigenous folklore, and ndombolo.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Festival Amani</span>

The Festival Amani is an annual festival that takes place in the context of peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes region. Amani is the Swahili word for Peace.

Godefroid Mana Kangudie, known by his pen name Kä Mana, was a Congolese writer, professor, and theologian. He was one of the most famous philosophers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and served as President of the POLE Institute.

Pamela Tulizo is a documentary photographer and journalist, born in 1994 in Bukavu in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2020, she won the Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M23 offensive (2022–present)</span> Conflict in the DR Congo

In late March 2022, the March 23 Movement (M23), supported by Rwanda, launched an offensive in North Kivu against the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and MONUSCO. The fighting displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians and caused renewed tensions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaël Assumani</span> Boxer from Democratic Republic of the Congo who qualified for the 2008 Olympics at middleweight

Gaël Assumani is a Congolese boxer who crowned champion of the Democratic Republic of Congo lightweight in 2020 and 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bwito Chiefdom</span> Chiefdom in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Bwito Chiefdom is a chiefdom located in the Rutshuru Territory of North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is bordered to the north by Batangi Chiefdom and Kanyabayonga commune in Lubero Territory, Bwisha Chiefdom in the east, and to the north-east by Lake Edward and the Republic of Uganda. To the west, it is bordered by Bashali Chiefdom in Masisi Territory, and to the northwest by Wanyanga Chiefdom in Walikale Territory. To the south, it is bordered by Nyiragongo Territory.

The Free University of the Great Lakes Countries, is a private Christian educational institution located in Goma, in the North Kivu Province of the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ULPGL was founded in 1985, as a result of the Institut Supérieur de Théologie Protestante and was granted university status by the government in 1991. It is sponsored by six Protestant denominations, including two Baptists, two Pentecostals, one Anglican (EAC), and one Methodist (CLMC).

The Fally Ipupa Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2013 by Congolese singer-songwriter Fally Ipupa. It aims to provide assistance to various marginalized groups in need in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including victims of sexual violence, diseases, as well as orphans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bashali Chiefdom</span> Chiefdom of the Masisi Territory of the North Kivu Province

The Bashali Chiefdom is a chiefdom located in the Masisi Territory of North Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Topographically, it is bounded to the east by the Virunga National Park, to the north by the Bwito Chiefdom of Rutshuru Territory, to the northwest by Walikale Territory, to the south by the Bahunde Chiefdom, and to the west by the Osso sector. Encompassing a total area of 1,582 square kilometers, the chiefdom is the administrative and sociopolitical structure for the Hunde ethnic group and is administratively subdivided into two groupements: Bashali-Mokoto and Bashali-Kaembe. Kitchanga, the urban center and administrative capital of the Bashali-Mokoto groupement, is the most densely populated locality within the chiefdom.

References

  1. "Foyer Culturel de Goma". Music In Africa. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  2. Briggs, Philip (6 December 2023). Rwanda. London, England, United Kingdom: Bradt Travel Guides Limited. ISBN   978-1-80469-239-4.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Apropos" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: About]. Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  4. "Music Fund: Kivu". Musicfund.eu (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  5. 1 2 "A propos du Festival Amani" [About the Amani Festival]. www.amanifestival.com (in French). Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  6. "Le Festival Amani s'ouvre à Goma" [The Amani Festival opens in Goma]. Radio Okapi (in French). Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2014-02-12. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Guitare" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: Guitar]. Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Arts Parlés" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: Spoken Arts]. Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Piano". Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Danse" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: Dance]. Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Chant" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: Singing]. Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  12. 1 2 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Percussion". Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  13. "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Cinéma". Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Fanfare du Kivu". Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  15. 1 2 3 "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Pédagogie" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: Pedagogy]. Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  16. "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Partenaires" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: Partners]. Foyercultureldegoma.org (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  17. Selys, Gabriel de (20 September 2024). "En Avant les Enfants: 30 ans d'EALE" [En Avant les Enfants: 30 years of EALE.]. Enavantlesenfants.com (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  18. "MusicFund: Kivu". Musicfund.eu (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  19. "Foyer Culturel de Goma: Directeur ou d'une Directrice du Foyer Culturel de Goma" [Foyer Culturel de Goma: Director of the Goma Cultural Center]. Radio Okapi (in French). 12 January 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  20. Mutebwa, Emilie (2 December 2023). "Goma: Projection du film "Garçon qui dopta le vent" au foyer culturel de Goma" [Goma: Screening of the film "Garçon qui dopta le vent" at the Goma cultural center]. Kivu Morning Post (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  21. Mayiro, Prince (12 March 2020). "RDC: Le Japon fait un don de 71.000 $ au Foyer Culturel de Goma" [DRC: Japan donates $71,000 to the Foyer Culturel de Goma]. 7sur7.cd (in French). Retrieved 30 September 2024.