Nthatuoa Koeshe
THE Film Sector Groundbreakers Lesotho has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Lesotho Amateur Athletics Association (LAAA) to use art and sport to commemorate the legendary King Moshoeshoe I through the King Moshoeshoe Film Festival in March 2020.
The MOU was signed by officials from LAAA and FSG at a recent ceremony and will see a marathon event being added to the King Moshoeshoe Film Festival next year.
The King Moshoeshoe Marathon will be held on 28 March 2020 where
FSG Lesotho are the custodians and implementing agents of the King Moshoeshoe Film Festival.
The festival runs for seven days and is staged by the Film Sector Groundbreakers Lesotho to commemorate King Moshoeshoe I and to advance film industry development in Lesotho and the rest of African.
The activities of the film festival include film workshops, film screenings, film industry panel discussion sessions, film awards, cultural beauty pageant, marathon and a fashion show.
King Moshoeshoe Film Festival director Aubrey Silinyana said most of the activities of the event will take place in Maseru while others will be held in selected rural areas including Mantšonyane and Hlotse.
Silinyana said the fundamental objectives of the King Moshoeshoe Marathon and the King Moshoeshoe Film Festival were to use art and sport to commemorate King Moshoeshoe I during the Moshoeshoe Month (March).
He said the marathon is meant to promote the participation of the public in athletics, to revive the passion, improve the quality and popularity of athletics. He said the initiative also utilises art and sport to promote tourism by attracting Basotho and foreign participants who spend money during the event.
“We also want to utilise art and sport to advance philanthropic programmes r to help the needy and to promote healthy lifestyles through physical exercise and general health promotion,” Silinyana said
“The MOU seeks to set out the areas of cooperation and shared responsibility guided by the principle of mutual respect for each other’s constitution and independence.”
He said the key areas of cooperation will be resource mobilisation, event management and cooperation on general development of sport and athletics.
“The MOU will also facilitate the promotion of LAAA as a brand and the recruitment of more members of the public to join the organisation.”
LAAA vice-president Tšeliso Pheta said they were happy to be part of the event.
“This MOU will help us recruit more members for LAAA while at the same time fundraising for association and the general development of athletics in Lesotho,” Pheta said.
