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Sauti za Busara (in swahili: "sounds of wisdom") is an African music festival that is held every year in February in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It is centred in the Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe), with fringe events taking place concurrently around Stone Town - including a carnival street parade.
Sauti za Busara is one of the largest music festivals in East Africa, with several hundreds of artists participating each year. It showcases a diverse and dynamic programme of exclusively African music - 100% live - and has over the years provided a valuable stage for local Swahili talent, from taarab legends like Bi Kidude and Culture Musical Club, to homegrown Tanzanian pop and hip-hop.
The twelfth edition of the festival took place in 2015. However, the organisers have since announced their decision to cancel the 2016 edition due to shortage of funding. Festival founder Yusuf Mahmoud explained: "Since 2004, we had zero financial support from the government in Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanzania or the East African Community. Despite tireless efforts, support from donors, embassies and commercial sponsors has reached an all-time low. Busara Promotions is an NGO; the festival is nonprofit. Some suggested we try crowd-funding. However, to truly be more sustainable, before the 2017 edition our priority will be to develop long-term partnerships with donors and sponsors who share our vision… Busara Board and management shall be working hard over the coming months, to ensure the festival resumes stronger than ever from 2017."