During an educational talk focused on empowering Central African youth this Saturday, September 28, 2024 at the Maison Russe Cultural Center in Bangui, the youth got treated to powerful slam art in which words and emotions at times clashed.
Charmed by the clarity of the declamation and the scope of the messages conveyed by the slammers who performed during the event, the youth are calling for slam to play a greater role in social debates. They believe that for a post-crisis society such as the Central African Republic, which is seeking sustainable and harmonious development, slam should be given a prominent place and special attention especially amongst young people.
This artistic discipline, in vogue throughout the world, has seen an unprecedented rise in the country since the beginning of 2024. Everything suggests that this development is the outcome of the ‘Ça me dit slam’ initiative led by the six Slameurs collective, which is planning an international festival called ‘Slam D’ici’ in December.
This ‘Ça me dit slam’ concept, organized every Saturday at the Maison Russe cultural center in Bangui, aims to promote slam to the Central African public. But it also aims to strengthen stage performance and conviviality between Central African slammers, to better prepare them for the festival scheduled for December, and to reinforce its influence among young people in the capital of the country. Central African youth is gradually beginning to take an interest in slam, which creates a form of peaceful debate, raising awareness and changing the collective mentality.