By Damillola Adeyera
The Democratic Republic of Congo is intensifying preparations for the second edition of the World Music and Tourism Festival (FMMT), with Tourism Minister Didier Mazenga confirming two major venues in the capital that will host the three-day event from 8 to 10 October 2026.
Following an inspection visit on Saturday, 26 September, Minister Mazenga announced that the Central African Cultural Centre (Centre culturel et artistique pour les pays d’Afrique centrale) in the Kasa-Vubu municipality and the esplanade of the Exchangeur in Limete have been selected as the official sites.
“In total, two sites have been selected to host the World Music and Tourism Festival, namely the Cultural Centre and the Exchangeur in Limete. We visited these places, buildings, performance halls, and cultural spaces, as well as the tourist village, where the mausoleum of Patrice Lumumba is located. These sites will welcome not only guests coming from abroad, but above all Congolese men and women,” Mazenga stated.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the facilities, noting that the Cultural Centre meets international standards for opening ceremonies, panels, and cultural exhibitions, while the Exchangeur will primarily host musical performances and evening activities.
Save the dates: 8–10 October 2026 in Kinshasa.
The inaugural World Music and Tourism Festival, which was held in 2025, went beyond standard concerts to establish a global blueprint for utilizing local creative arts to spark economic development, cultural diplomacy, and peace-building.