Burundi National Center of the International Puppetry Union
UNIMA Burundi
Puppets in the service of peace, education and the promotion of Burundian cultural heritage
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History
The UNIMA Burundi Centre was officially recognized on April 25, 2023, during the UNIMA World Congress held in Bali, Indonesia.
The creation of a national UNIMA Centre in Burundi stems from the initiative of a group of Burundian artists, primarily from the association ABASAMANDARI, who were passionate about discovering puppetry—an art form still new to Burundi.
The Centre began in 2023 with ten motivated and committed members. Thanks to puppet-making and manipulation workshops organized with the support of the French Institute of Burundi and international volunteer artists such as Alessandra Amicarelli from Italy, the number of members grew to over 25 young Burundian artists by 2025.
UNIMA Burundi is active both locally and internationally: it participated in the Roots and Wings International Conference in South Africa (November 2024), formalized its twinning with UNIMA Italy (December 2024), and took part in World Puppetry Day (March 21 in 2023, 2024, and 2025), as well as in the 24th UNIMA World Congress in South Korea (May 2025).
The Centre collaborates with the association Abasamandari, UNIMA South Africa, the Izuba Cultural Centre, the newspaper Shikiriza, and publishes newsletters.
Young but dynamic, the Centre promotes training, research, creation, and the enhancement of Burundian cultural heritage through puppetry.
Mission
Inspired by that of UNIMA International but adapted to local needs, the mission of UNIMA Burundi is to promote the art of puppetry in Burundi as a tool for artistic expression, popular education, social cohesion, and the enhancement of Burundian cultural heritage.
Specific objectives:
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Provide training and development opportunities for young artists.
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Encourage contemporary creation and research on traditional forms of puppetry.
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Promote the circulation of works and artists at national, regional, and international levels.
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Integrate puppetry into strategies for education, social mediation, and community outreach.
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Document, protect, and highlight both traditional and contemporary forms of Burundian puppetry heritage.
Core Values
Creativity: Innovating while respecting traditions.
Transmission: Sharing knowledge and skills—with joy.
Peace & Reconciliation: Offering, through puppetry, a space for dialogue and remembrance.
Heritage: Protecting, promoting, and bringing to life the traditional arts and cultures of Burundi.
Community Engagement: Working with and for local communities.
International Solidarity: Acting in synergy with other UNIMA Centres and partners around the world.
MISSION
Inspirée de celle de l’UNIMA Internationale, mais adaptée aux besoins locaux, la mission de UNIMA Burundi est de promouvoir l’art de la marionnette au Burundi comme outil d’expression artistique, d’éducation populaire, de cohésion sociale, et de valorisation du patrimoine culturel burundais.
OBJECTIFS
- Offrir des espaces de formation et de perfectionnement aux jeunes artistes.
- Encourager la création contemporaine et la recherche sur les formes traditionnelles de marionnettes.
- Favoriser la circulation des œuvres et des artistes au niveau national, régional et international.
- Intégrer la marionnette dans les stratégies d’éducation, de médiation sociale et de sensibilisation communautaire.
- Documenter, protéger et mettre en valeur les formes traditionnelles et contemporaines du patrimoine marionnettique burundais
VALEURS FONDAMENTALES
CRÉATIVITÉ: innover tout en respectant les traditions.
TRANSMISSION: partager les savoirs et savoir-faire. Avec plaisir.
PAIX & RECONCILIATION: offrir à travers la marionnette un espace de dialogue et de mémoire.
PATRIMOINE: protéger, valoriser et faire vivre les arts et cultures traditionnels du Burundi.
ENGAGEMENT COMMUNAUTAIRE: travailler avec et pour les communautés.
SOLIDARITÉ INTERNATIONALE: agir en synergie avec les autres centres UNIMA et les partenaires du monde entier.