In partnership with the local communities, mobile film and video units will cover over 25 village clusters in the Festival of the Dhow Countries 2000, this programme is conducted exclusively in kiswhahili. Village Panorama events are designed as part of a continuing process of cultural development, health, human rights, education and environment awareness in local communities in the islands of Unguja and Pemba. Moreover, people in villages actively participate in planning, organising and running the panorama programmes.

Through the participation of over 200,000 people from all district areas in film and video screenings, the Festival has the opportunity to introduce and initiate dialogue around these themes, working in partnership with UNICEF and in collaboration with HelpAge, Save the Children Fund, SWAZA, Action Heath, PSI, Tanzania Red Cross, UMATI. These non governmental organisations, along with the Contouring Education Unists (CEC), Zanzibar Ministry of Health provide links which connect with villages and facilitate participation.

In addition to the Village Panorama showcase the Festival assists and provided the means for theatre plays both for children and adults alike, puppetry, poetry, music and dance, arts and crafts development, competitions in bao play and cards, dhow and bicycle races, sports...UNICEF's 'Sara' initiative.

The Festival of the Dhow Countries is honoured to work in collaboration with unicef and its Sara initiative, developed in the regional office in Nairoby, Kenya.

SARA provides a prime example of well researched and produced films in Africa for children. Stories, characters and images have been developed by African artists thoroughly researched in the region, including Zanzibar portray realistic settings, people and situations. Children enjoy the animated stories and easily identify with them. This is one of the assets of didactic films, where through an entertaining story, an educational message can still be delivered and easily consumed by children and adults.

Furthermore the Sara Initiative gives the Child Rights focus more life during the Festival. The films focus on the experiences of the child in general, with a special focus on girls. Illustrators, writers, dramatists and musicians will be a great resource for workshops and activities during the Festival of the Dhow Countries 2000.

The Sara films and workshops are one part of the programme offered to children during the Festival. It provides a model for the kind of integrated activity which ZIFF aims to develop in collaboration with other relevant organisations, along with schools, madrassas and libraries.

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