PRESS RELEASE
19 June 2018 
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe will be
hosting a Poetry Slam this weekend in Harare under the theme “Building better
cities, Building Better citizens”. The Harare edition of the poetry slam is in
partnership with LitFest, an organization that runs an annual international
literature festival and is headed by one of Zimbabwe’s most celebrated poets,
Chirikure Chirikure.
A public call for participation was
issued six weeks ago and over eighty poets sent their pitch videos for the
preliminary shortlisting. A panel of adjudicators selected the top 20 poets who
are set to contest in Harare on the 23rd of June 2018. The contestants will battle it out in three
rounds of live performances, after which the top three poets will emerge.
The best poet will walk away with a cash prize of $800, while the second runner up will get $400 and the third will be awarded $200. The Prize money comes with specially crafted animal horn trophies which resemble the role of a poet as a bearer of important messages in society. In traditional African communication culture, the horn is a communication gadget used to broadcast important information such as a call for an important village meeting or announcing that there has been a death in the community. In addition, the ten finalists will also get token prizes in form of books.
The Lafarge Poetry Slam is an
initiative that is aimed at providing a platform for thought provoking poetry
about key subjects relating to the Zimbabwean society. The expectation is to
build positivity and inspire solutions to societal issues. This particular
poetry slam theme, “Building better cities, Building better citizens”, is a
call for poets to consider positive and socially constructive messages in their
poetry. It is anticipated that these poets will focus on the growth
possibilities in our nation and in our people.
The Lafarge Poetry Slam is also
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe’s avenue for supporting the Literary Arts sector in
Zimbabwe. The Arts sector thrives on the support of stakeholders who provide
platforms for exposure and performance to refine their art. Sponsorship
opportunities are highly sought and go a considerable mile to elevate and expose
the artists. As such, Lafarge found it worthwhile to support this popular and
fast-growing art form.
A poetry slam is a tournament in
which poets compete in live performances of original works. Each poet has to
perform in a limited length of time. There will be a panel of judges that will
be adjudicating in the process. After
each round, the contestants with
the highest points proceed to the next phase, until the top three poets
eventually emerge. Besides being competitive, a slam is also fun and highly
entertaining as the poets are not allowed to use any props, but have to depend
on their creativity and performance skills.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About LafargeHolcim
LafargeHolcim is the leading
global building materials and solutions company serving masons, builders,
architects and engineers all over the world. Group operations produce cement,
aggregates and ready-mix concrete which are used in building projects ranging
from affordable housing and small, local projects to the biggest, most
technically and architecturally challenging infrastructure projects. As
urbanization increasingly impacts people and the planet, the Group provides
innovative products and building solutions with a clear commitment to social
and environmental sustainability. With leading positions in all regions,
LafargeHolcim employs around 90,000 employees in more than 80 countries and has
a portfolio that is equally balanced between developing and mature markets.
LAFARGE CEMENT ZIMBABWE
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe is one the leading cement and allied products
producers in Zimbabwe. The now Swiss
headquartered company was established in the country in 1956 first as Salisbury
Portland Cement then owned by the United Kingdom based Associated Portland and
Manufactures Association. It was listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in 1980,
and subsequently changed its name to Circle Cement in 1982 in line with the
change in the holding company name to Blue Circle Industries Plc. Circle Cement
officially changed its name to Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe in 2007 and relisted on
the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The company has made a tremendous
contribution to the country’s
construction industry. Landmark construction projects in the country including
the Kariba Dam, Cahora Bassa Dam, major high rising buildings and bridges were
built with our cement which attests to the fact that it is a tried and tested
product.
Contact :
TSUNGIE MANYEZA
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
EMAIL:
tsungai.manyeza@lafargeholcim.com
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