In a cultural first for Somalia in two decades, the country’s capital, Mogadishu, has held a concert in the National Theatre. The event indicates a significant advance in the country’s security and safety.
On the Monday afternoon, the audience – a range including senior officials to Somalia residents – attended the concert that celebrated the building’s reopening. The event was titled ‘Parent’s Advice’ and was opened by the country’s Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali who hopes “the theatre will be reconstructed soon.”
Amongst the audience, Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed took a centre front-row seat and the importance of the event was reflected in the presence of armoured security surrounding the theatre and road.
The President told the audience: “The concert talked about love and politics… the concert also told us about our past days, the good and the bad. We have to participate in a new Somali history and repair our houses, shake hands and unite.”
Participating singer Said Daud Ali offered a cultural celebratory remark, “we are very happy to be reopening our national theatre and singing inside it today. If we are alive, our theatre will be alive.”
Many of the younger attendants had not been old enough to enjoy a concert or witness a traditional play in the national theatre before. One girl, Asha Yousef, commented that “you can only recognize how beautiful your tradition is when you have peace.”
Somalia had been embroiled in civil war for the last twenty years following after warlords from different fractions defeated the dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and militia and clans were left fighting one another for civic control.
This intense violence was resurrected the following day, when the presidential palace – located 300 metres from the theatre – was subjected to a mortar attack from al Shabaab militants.
This was some of the most serious violence since Mogadishu became relatively peaceful in August 2011, when al-Qaeda related militants withdrew from the city under pressure from African Union and Somali troops. Until Tuesday, only occasional, and comparatively small, attacks had been launched in the city since August.
“We have to concentrate on peace, education and progress – let’s forget the bad events we experienced,” said President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed at the concert on Monday.
