By GOMA, DRC — In the eastern Congolese city of Goma, a region long beset by conflict and strife, designers, models, and artists united on Friday for the annual Liputa Fashion Week, held this year with a powerful message of peace.
The latest edition of Liputa Fashion Week featured designers from eight countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, the United States, Uganda, and Ivory Coast. The event aims to highlight and promote the African fashion industry while serving as a beacon of resilience and unity amidst ongoing turmoil.
Fashion for Peace in Eastern Congo
Eastern Congo has been a hotspot of violence, with various armed groups clashing over control of mineral resources, leading to massive displacement and significant human suffering. In this context, Liputa Fashion Week seeks to stand as a symbol of peace and social cohesion. The organizers emphasized that fashion, and more broadly, culture, can be powerful tools in promoting peace.
Pape Songhé Diouf, a designer from Senegal known as Papino Creations, showcased his designs at the event. “I always say, Africa can build itself up. And this can only be done through culture. Here in Goma, you have your culture. We in Senegal have our culture. Rwanda, Burundi—the same thing. If we unite our culture, I think we will have peace everywhere, everywhere in Africa,” he remarked.
A Message to the World
David Gulu, one of the event organizers, highlighted the importance of Liputa Fashion Week in sending a message of hope and resilience. “We are waiting for our message to be heard, listened to by the international community. We are in the city of Goma, we live here, we want positivity to continue to reign in this region. That is why we continue to hold this, to show that despite what we have suffered, we continue to get up and we remain resilient. We want peace to return and we want to develop our local fashion industry. We also want our place in the international fashion world,” he said.
Showcase of Cultural Diversity
Liputa Fashion Week not only highlighted fashion but also celebrated cultural diversity. Designers and artists from across Africa and other continents participated, demonstrating the unifying power of culture. Fiston Nkake of Goma, who attended the show, expressed his satisfaction at seeing young people mobilize for culture despite the security challenges. “We’re not scared. It’s true, the enemy is at the door of the city of Goma. But that doesn’t matter. We have to defend ourselves; we have to take advantage of the time when we have a truce.”
Conflict and Hope
Despite a recent ceasefire, violence in the Congo conflict has intensified in recent months. The region remains unstable, and the recent symbolic truce has not halted new reports of displacement and violence. This has led to questions about the international community’s response and the effectiveness of aid efforts.
As the fashion week ended, it served as a reminder of the resilience of the Congolese people and the unifying power of culture. Liputa Fashion Week continues to shine as a symbol of hope and peace in a region that desperately needs it.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
