More than Entertainment: Bringing Fire to the SDGs through Dialogue, Art and Action

For the 18th year, the vibrant MTN Bushfire Festival lit up the scenic Malkerns Valley of the Kingdom of Eswatini on the last weekend of May 2025. And, for the third consecutive year, the United Nations in Eswatini partnered with the festival’s “Bring Your Fire Zone” to harness the transformative power of music, dialogue, and arts to spread urgency about achieving the SDGs. From university auditoriums across the Kingdom ahead of the festival to the rolling green fields of the festival grounds, this partnership has sparked meaningful and passionate conversations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the country’s aspirations especially those of its youthful population. This year, the dialogue spotlighted Food Systems, Climate and Pollution, Health & Gender Equality, HIV, and the Sustainability of Arts and Culture Festivals for their intrinsic value and contribution to the creative economy.

Widely recognized as one of Africa’s premier music and arts festivals, the three-day MTN Bushfire draws an estimated 20,000 attendees each day from 60 countries on average, offering a dynamic mix of music, art, and cultural exchange. The festival has earned international acclaim - CNN named it one of the “7 African music festivals you really have to see,” while the BBC hailed it as a “Top African Festival.”

Thus, for UN Eswatini, the festival is more than just entertainment. It is serious business and an invaluable platform. For a start, the festival is the most important event in Eswatini’s creative economy, contributing approximately USD$3.7 million to the national economy and creating between 900 and 1,200 jobs over the three days. For Eswatini’s relatively small economy, that’s a big deal. It is also celebrated for its strong commitment to social responsibility including promoting the circular and green economy. A portion of every ticket sold supports local initiatives, such as Young Heroes and Gone Rural boMake, which provide assistance to orphans and rural communities throughout Eswatini.

Under the rallying call, Bring Your Fire, the UN-MTN Bushfire partnership has evolved into a powerful platform for youth engagement - one where creativity fuels action, dialogue drives ideas, and young voices help shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.

This year, eight UN agencies - UNHCR, UNESCO, IOM, UNFPA, WHO, WFP, UNAIDS, and FAO - have joined forces with the Bushfire team to co-create moments that inform, inspire, and engage.

The 2025 programme began with a powerful prelude: a series of dialogues themed around sustainability and inclusion, co-hosted with Eswatini’s universities and gathering eager students, artists and subject experts. One of these focused on the sustainability of arts and culture festivals - an issue close to the hearts of many young creatives. This discussion highlighted the strong interest, especially among youth and the creative community, in fully recognizing culture and the arts as a vital sector that requires a supportive policy environment to thrive and achieve lasting sustainability.

This year’s festival coincided with the launch of UNESCO’s groundbreaking report Creating for the Future: Harnessing Southern Africa’s Arts and Cultural Festivals for Sustainable Development. Spanning nine countries, the study maps the potential of festivals like Bushfire to drive employment, local development, climate action, and regional cohesion.

Speaking at the report launch, UN Resident Coordinator George Wachira hailed the report as a critical tool in guiding policy and investment in the creative industries to ensure financial inclusion, robust infrastructure and proactive positioning in the age of exponential growth technological advancement including in Artificial Intelligence. Eswatini’s Sports and Culture Minister, Bongani Nzima, emphasised festival’s role in safeguarding national identity. Referring specifically to the MTN Bushfire Festival, he added that it is not just a festival but a national asset.

The Fire Zone: Where Dialogue Meets Art

At the heart of the Bushfire Festival, the UN Bring Your Fire Zone returns as a vibrant hub of activism and imagination. Within this space, artists perform, advocates speak, and festivalgoers engage in reflection. Through interactive installations and a dynamic broadcasting corner, young people are not only invited to participate but also encouraged to lead.

Here, we witness remarkable artistic innovation across Eswatini, as traditional cultural expressions are reimagined through the creativity of a new generation. This space serves as a platform to explore how the Kingdom of Eswatini can better harness the full potential of arts and cultural festivals to drive local development, empower communities, promote climate action, and strengthen regional integration. In this regard, cultural festivals emerge as powerful tools for advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - from decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) to reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and climate action (SDG 13).

In support of this initiative, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Russell M. Dlamini, accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Senator Thulisile Dladla, visited the UN Bring Your Fire Zone and engaged attendees in a live dialogue at the Broadcast Corner before officially inaugurating the Bushfire Festival – from the UN Bring Your Fire stage!

A Moment for Action – Accelerating the SDGs

As the world approaches the final five years of the SDGs, the global outlook is sobering. According to the 2024 SDG Progress Report, only 17% of targets are on track. In this moment of urgency, the Bushfire partnership stands as a regional beacon—a blueprint for how creativity and collaboration can accelerate change.

With more than half of Eswatini’s population under 25, the UN sees this as more than a campaign - it’s a commitment. A commitment to empower youth, amplify their voices, and place them at the centre of the development agenda. It also complements the ‘Nkwe!’ rallying call by His Majesty King Mswati III – to accelerate Eswatini’s development.

From Eswatini to the rest of Southern Africa, the Bring Your Fire partnership is lighting the way forward - proving that art is not just expression, but action.

Watch how youth are bringing their fire on our Youtube page :
https://youtube.com/@unitednationseswatini68?si=dehEqauJe2XGqE0d

This article was first published here. For more information about the UN's work in Eswatini, visit eswatini.un.org