Ignatius Mabasa to go to third Razavi International Storytelling Festival in Iran

08 Aug 2012

The award-winning Zimbabwean poet, author and storyteller and former British CouncilZimbabwe executive, Ignatius Mabasa, is set to take his artistic prowess to the Middle East when he makes his maiden appearance at the Third Razavi International Storytelling Festival set for the 29th and 30th of September 2012.

Head of Iran Culture Centre in Harare, Mohammad Asadi, confirmed that his office is considering sending Mabasa as Zimbabwe’s representative at this year’s festival.

The festival which is staged by the Razavi Cultural Foundation seeks to bring together cultures from all walks of life through storytelling. The Foundation is focused on the dissemination of the teachings of Imam Reza (as), the 8th Imam of the Twelver Shi’ites.

Last year Zimbabwe was represented by a graduate from the Zimbabwe College of Music, who showcased Zimbabwe’s artistic prowess in combining folk-telling with mbira music.

This year’s representative Ignatius Mabasa is a renowned novelist who has penned a number of short stories, poems and done some translations as well. Some of his popular short stories are: Delicious Monster and Playing to Die. His Shona novels Mapenzi andNdafa here are set books at the ZJC and Ordinary Levels in Zimbabwe. Mabasa has pocketed several awards from the National Arts Merit Awards to the ones financed by international publishing companies.