Festico Burkina Faso - Woka-Kuma Deutschland e.V.

FESTICO Festival at Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Traditional music and dance from Colsama

FESTICO is happening under the direction of Mahamadi from the association WOKA KUMA to the appreciation and promotion of the Cultural and tourism industries.
Cultural exchange with Burkina Faso FESTICO

FESTICO 2024 : Delegation trip to Burkina Faso 2024
From 25 February to 10 March, a total of 4+1 association members (Heike Schaaf, Nora Palm, Christoph Koch, Aziz Sinka + Birgit Barz) travelled to Bobo Dioulasso to visit the partner festival FESTICO and our local cooperation partners.

We all had a great time together and were able to pursue some of the organisation’s activities
Cultural festival FESTICO 01.03.-02.03.
As every year, the cultural festival took place in arrondissement no. 7 / Belleville. Two days of concerts, shows and performances enlivened the square set up for the event, the seats were full of people from the neighbourhood, especially many young people and children eager to see their favourite musicians live. There were some invited authorities such as the traditional chiefs of the neighbourhood, the district mayor and the mayor and a representative of the Ministry of Culture, who took the floor on the first evening with speeches of thanks and greetings. The highlights were the performances by Rama N’goni and Faity Baby, both of whom had already performed at the Woka-Kuma Festival in Berlin. We can only congratulate the organising team of the Woka-Kuma Burkina Faso Association on this beautiful and important festival. Because although the country is challenged by war, security problems and a tense political situation, as is so often mentioned in speeches and the media by the authorities, it is all the more important to support the population and internally displaced persons.

Football tournament Belleville Cup 2024 02.03. and 03.03. 2024
On 02.03. and 03.03., a total of 6 teams of young people from different neighbourhoods in the city competed against each other in the fourth edition of the ‘Belleville Cup’. The whole thing was organised by the volunteer, tried-and-tested team and dedicated residents and friends Baba and Moctar, as well as some guests of honour invited for the final and prize-giving ceremony. On the second day, the finale was celebrated and there was even a fashion show by a local designer and a musical performance by the singer Djeli Karim. The atmosphere was great, many people, especially children and young people, came from the neighbourhood to watch and cheer on their favourite team. The positive impact of this event could clearly be felt. The team ‘sans pitié’ won and was honoured alongside the best player and top scorer. Every year, the football tournament is a highlight for the association’s work and for the neighbourhood, which, in addition to the high-profile cultural festival, also organises an event for the local population from the neighbourhood, where the main aim is to strengthen social cohesion and community through sport and encounters.

Visits and networking 2024
We also used the time to promote the organisation’s activities not only in the cultural field and with fundraising campaigns, but also to raise awareness at a political level. In Ouagadougou, the association members Abdoul Aziz Sinka, Nora Palm and Mahamadi Sinka were able to pay audience visits to the Minister of Culture, Mr E. Ouedraogo, the Managing Director of the German Embassy, Mr Münchow-Pohl, and the Director of the Goethe Institute, Mr Pockrandt. The main purpose of these visits was to report on the activities of the two partner organisations and to introduce the idea of future opportunities for cooperation.
Bobo Dioulasso 2024
We were also able to visit the local authorities in Bobo Dioulasso as an association delegation together with some representatives of the partner association Association Woka-Kuma.
Among other things, we went to the town hall of district number 7, with which we have been cooperating for years, mainly because of the FESTICO and various fundraising campaigns in the neighbourhoods belonging to the district. We were warmly welcomed by the district mayor or the ‘President de la Delegation Speciale’ (Chairman of the Special Commission, as the position has been called since the last change of government) Mr Souleyman Sanon of Arrondissement No 7. We were also able to meet the district mayor of district no. 1, in whose neighbourhood Kiri we have been able to carry out several fundraising campaigns in recent years, e.g. for the infirmary and now also own a plot of land on which the ‘German-Burkinese Cultural Centre’ for cultural exchange, education and dance is to be built. We were also invited for the first time by the mayor of the city ‘President de la Delegation Speciale de la Commune Bobo Dioulasso’ Laurent Kontogom, as well as by the traditional chief of the Belleville neighbourhood, who greatly appreciates our work and commitment and always comes to the festival with friends.

FESTICO 2023: 25.02.-29.02.2023 For the very first time, the FESTICO did not take place in the Colsama district, in front of the large Lamezere stadium, but in the middle of the city – next to the Total station, not far from the small market. This meant that many people from the immediate neighborhood were able to take part. The area was full and the event received a lot of positive feedback from the people – finally a festival right next door that is accessible to the people who live there and can’t drive through the city to enjoy culture. Especially for children and young people it was a great highlight to see their music stars – Djeli Karim, Rama N’goni but also the circus group from a local circus association working with vulnerable young people performed and created a great atmosphere. The invited authorities also welcomed the new location of the FESTICOS, the chef coutumiére (traditional chief) of the neighborhood was particularly pleased about the enrichment and cultural performance in his neighborhood. The festival also included a panel discussion on the challenges and obligations of cultural actors in view of the security situation in Burkina Faso and a dance workshop for adults at the Siraba Center led by Serges Somé.

FESTICO 2022: unfortunately, the FESTICO could not take place due to the political situation after two successive empires and the security crisis.

FESTICO 2021: report coming soon

24 February – 02 march 2020

FESTICO 2019:
20-24 February 2019

FESTICO 2018:
22. January – 5. February 2018

AHOI was the Artistic Direction „Creative Bridge to Burkina Faso“
Cultural and Social Bonding for students and adults.
with a panel discussion, Workshops at german speaking schools & Lange Tafel e.V

Photos stay 2019:

FESTICO 2014:

Article about FESTICO 2014 auf: www.lefaso.net
Troupe Orodara Sidiki d’Orodara live – FESTICO 2014.
Salimata Diabate live – FESTICO 2014