From August 24th to 30th, Groupe TACCEMS held the 15th edition of Festival Ngoma. At this international gathering for performing arts, our partner in Kisangani brought together theatre, slam, music, dance, and comedy artists. The 2025 edition of the festival marked a triple anniversary: artists and audiences celebrated 15 years of Festival Ngoma, 30 years of Groupe TACCEMS, and 25 years of Africalia.

Festival Ngoma

In its 15th year, Festival Ngoma has become a major and iconic event in eastern DRC. Bringing together artists from Kisangani, Bunia, Kinshasa, Isiro, Lubumbashi, and Bujumbura, this year’s programme included theatre performances, concerts, exchanges, and many other activities. For the opening night, for example, the Espace Culturel Ngoma welcomed Groupe Shine Théâtre de Kisangani, who presented the play ‘Quand la plume accouche’. Level Musica’s concert on August 30th brought the week to a spectacular close. The festival reached nearly 90000 people, either in person or via live television or radio broadcasts.

The central theme of the 2025 edition of Festival Ngoma was ‘Tous solidaires avec l’Est’ (All in solidarity with the East).

A triple anniversary

Running up to the festival, in the framework of the three anniversaries celebrated in 2025, Groupe TACCEMS facilitated a round table discussion, taking stock of three decades of shared commitment to cultural life in Kisangani. Speaker and moderators looked back on the history and accomplishments of Groupe TACCEMS, such as the creation of the Réseau Pôle Culturel Est or the organisation of the Semaines Culturelles in several cities in eastern DRC. As one of the speakers emphasised, the 25-year partnership with Africalia has enabled Groupe TACCEMS and affiliated artists to access artistic and managerial trainings and ensure their cultural mobility. Of course, the evening concluded with a birthday cake!

Discover the other activities organised for Africalia's 25th anniversary here!