Source: Mudzvova honoured in Norway – NewsDay Zimbabwe May 29, 2017
THEATRE artist and activist, Silvanos “Banditi” Mudzvova was last week honoured with an Oslo Freedom Forum International Vacluv Havel Creative Dissent award in Norway for his theatre productions advocating for democracy.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
The gong is awarded to three artists whose artistic products are critical for developmental issues.
The other winners were a creative satire group from Venezuela and a female poet from Bahrain.
The three each received a 15kg bronze and gold award and will share the prize money.
Speaking to NewsDay from Norway on Friday, Mudzvova who is founder of Vhitori Entertainment, said the award came courtesy of three of his performances staged at the Parliament Building in Harare and was in recognition for his bravery and creativity in delivering his messages.
“The first play they picked was Missing Diamonds, I Need My Share, where I was arrested together with three journalists from the private media who were covering the play. The award committee said it was also impressed by The Prison Uniform and The Mud,” he said.
“For this award, I want to thank the media for covering my three plays extensively as the jurors for the award picked them from online publications, the activists from all social movements, mainly Tajamuka, who gave me the backing and security during my performances and all Zimbabweans who want to see a better Zimbabwe who shared the videos via social media.”
Mudzvova, who is currently in the United Kingdom, where he was also selected for a year-long Artist Protection Fund Fellowship programme at the University of Manchester, said he will continue contributing towards a better Zimbabwe using his artistic talent.
Several media platforms have been awash with congratulatory messages for Mudzvova with pro-democracy activist and #ThisFlag founder, Evan Mawarire being among the people who took to Facebook to congratulate him.
“Congratulations to Silvanos “Bhanditi” Mudzvova on being awarded the Vaclav Havel international prize for creative dissent here at the Oslo Freedom Forum today. This is the new face of a courageous generation in Zimbabwe,” he wrote.
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said: “That which pursues you determines your speed, the more vicious and ominous, the greater your speed.”
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