Under the motto “50 years consolidating national unity and peace through culture”, the city of Tete hosted, from 18 to 22 August, the twelfth edition of the National Culture Festival (FNC), the country’s largest cultural gathering. The event brought together more than five hundred artists and technicians from every province in the country, and welcomed thousands of people each day.

The opening session was led by the President of the Republic, Daniel Francisco Chapo, who highlighted culture as a pillar of national identity, an engine of sustainable development and a central element of social cohesion, also stressing that the FNC helps to stimulate the creative economy and enhance the country’s human capital.

A choreographed show with around a thousand participants evoked 50 years of National Independence, expressively marking the start of the festivities. In this spirit of celebration, the stages of Tete opened to theatre, music, dance, literature, gastronomy, crafts and other forms of artistic expression. Several stages around the city became true meeting points where tradition and innovation coexisted fully, creating a comprehensive portrait of Mozambican diversity. Craft fairs, gastronomic exhibitions and sculpture displays completed the programme, offering the public a varied and interactive experience.

Among the protagonists, young people took a central place, presenting creations that both preserved and reinvented traditions, a contribution the President of the Republic highlighted as fundamental to asserting national identity and promoting harmonious coexistence. The Minister of Education and Culture also emphasised the role of culture as an engine of social cohesion and economic growth, citing the significant content created by the festival for sectors such as fashion, design, audiovisual, cultural tourism and gastronomy.

The festival was not merely an artistic event, but an affirmation of Mozambican identity as a living, dynamic heritage. It left in Tete a mark of national unity, cultural diversity and projection towards the future, reinforcing culture as an instrument of peace and development for Mozambique.

In this broader context, the FNC fitted into the Government’s priorities under the National Development Strategy and the 2025–2029 Five-Year Plan, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.