In the presence of the Vice President, the Bogolo Festival in South Sudan calls for peace.
It is being held for the third year in a row to preserve cultural heritage.
Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah
On its first day, the third edition of the Bogolo Cultural Festival continues until next Tuesday, with the festival taking place from May 10 to 12, 2026.
The Bogolo Cultural Festival presents, It is being held for the third year in a rowIt is a platform for the people of South Sudan from different communities to exchange cultures, in food, stories and performances, in a spirit of dialogue and harmony, as the Bojolo culture is based on peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
Vice President honors Bogolo Festival
Among those present was the Vice President of South Sudan, Taban Deng Gai, as the third Bogolo Cultural Festival was honored as a vibrant celebration of heritage, unity and peaceful coexistence.
One of the most important community initiatives in South Sudan
The Bogolo Cultural Festival has emerged as one of the most important community initiatives in South Sudan, contributing to consolidating the role of culture in promoting unity and spreading peace.
The festival was founded in Central Equatoria State with the aim of preserving cultural heritage and promoting social cohesion between generations. Today, it serves as a model for transforming local traditions into an effective platform for national dialogue and identity building.
With the launch of its third edition, the festival continues to expand in scope and impact. After starting as a grassroots initiative, it has transformed into a huge cultural gathering, attracting more than 15,000 participants in 2024, and doubling this number to 30,000 participants in 2025.
Looking ahead, the 2026 edition is expected to bring together between 45,000 and 50,000 participants. This steady growth reflects not only a strong sense of community but also the importance of the festival's purpose in light of the changing social landscape.
At their core, cultural peace festivals transcend mere cultural celebration; they are organized platforms that connect peacebuilding, identity promotion, and cultural and economic development. The festival integrates traditional performances with active participation through intergenerational dialogue, youth leadership initiatives, women's empowerment forums, and support for cultural projects. It also plays a vital role in documenting and preserving heritage, ensuring that cultural knowledge is not lost to time.
The festival's roots trace back to an initiative led by engineer Lumora, managing director of Point Investments. The initial goal was to document and digitize old Bujulu memorial songs. This effort brought together elders, cultural leaders, and community members, resulting in the recording of more than 250 traditional songs. These recordings embody the depth of Bujulu identity, expressed through music, storytelling, and oral traditions passed down through generations.
The Bojolo tribe is a relatively small group in South Sudan, numbering just over 200,000. The Bojolo are a peaceful people who have never fought a tribal war with any of the other 64 ethnic groups in the country. They believe that the lessons learned from their culture and other cultures may contribute to achieving the peace that the citizens of South Sudan seek, after politics and weapons have failed.
It is worth noting that When South Sudan became an independent and sovereign state in 2011, the people of South Sudan believed that the future would be bright, but this hope did not last long.In 2013, the country slid into a series of civil wars that tore families apart, destroyed livelihoods, and left millions either internally displaced or refugees in neighboring countries. More than 400,000 people died during these wars. Although no major political unrest has erupted since 2016, the country continues to suffer from tensions and violence between communities.
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