| Resumé / looking back at achievements of 2001 |
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| 20 Dec 2001 | |
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LUGWALO LWAMAKANI LWABUTONGA LWACIINDI CAKUJUZYANA A MWAKA MUPYA WAZYULU; ZYOBILWE ATUBILI: CAABILO CEKUMI MUSANU ATUBILI MUBE AJILISIMUSI MUBOTU AMWAKA MUBOTU WAZYULU ZYOBILWE ATUBILI !! Looking back, close to the end of 2001, we have every reason to emphasise some major achievements: The Tonga.Online project room within the exhibition "Tracing the Rainbow. Life in Southern Africa" at Schlossmuseum in Linz attracted wide attention and was used as a tool of communication with the Tonga community. The "Special Award for Communication with Museums" has highlighted this innovative inter-cultural approach. The Tonga.Online project has been able to raise broad support from different quarters – sponsors, donors, private – which contributed to the establishment of permanent access to modern Information and Communication Technology ICT for Binga Highschool and the Tonga community. The website www.mulonga.net continues to provide a firm platform of communication between the Batonga people, their friends and thousands of visitors North and South of the Equator via the net. The Tonga.Online project has been fostering cultural exchange and friendship between the Austrian and Zimbabwean side at a critical point in time for our friends. Ongoing collaboration between schools and joint projects give an optimistic outlook and promising prospects. The outlook into the year 2002 reveils some major challenges again: The second phase of Tonga.Online is aiming to support the establishment of a Computer Lab in Siachilaba, the home area of Simonga Cultural Group who was always a driving force for this ongoing cultural exchange. Binga IC and Siachilaba Lab will only serve their development purpose if improved education and true access for the wider Tonga community can be achieved in an efficient and sustainable way. The Tonga.Online project should provide tools for better communication and representation for and within the Tonga community on both sides of the river, in Zimbabwe and Zambia, i.e. by linking the museums in Choma and Binga. In Zimbabwe, the society at large is at crossroads this coming year: we hope that the peoples will and vote might be respected. And that justice, social security and peace might prevail. We take this opportunity to thank all of you who made Tonga.Online happen: partners + support: Mbiingi loko pesi tuyanda kulumba kapati kuli: Simonga Cultural Group, Binga Highschool, Binga Craft Centre, Kunzwana Trust, WorLD, Horizont 3000, Choma Museum & Craft Centre, Ntengwe Cultural Group, Landesmuseum OÖ, OK Centrum, Linz International School Auhof, Auhof Basket Company / HAK Auhof, VUM, Karl Greis, Toni Mair, Gary Brooking, DEPOT, Büro für Kulturvermittlung, Renate Plöchl, KommEnt, Zimbabwean Embassy in Vienna; donors: Abasikutupa bembunga zisiyene zilimbuli be: Austrian Development Cooperation, Provincial Government of Upper Austria, sponsors: TechWorld, Silverserver private donors: Abantu luzutu basikutupa mali pesi nkabatali bembunga bati: Klaus Hollinetz, Peter & Claire Berner, Martha Faust, Peter Androsch, Hannelore Stöckl, Dominique & Anton Mair, Werner Puntigam, Sigi Finckel, Michael Pilz, Marianne Wögerer, Susanne Grabner, Franz Wagner, Hermine Dolzer, Heidi Egger, Anna Dalkilic, Ulrike Lehninger, Lieselotte Raml, Anonym, Ulrike Haberkorn, Stephan Weigl, Ingrid Komaromy, Edith Sonnleitner, Gudrun Haider, G.Witzmann, Aileen Derieg, Konrad Thamm, Günter Decker AUSTRIA ZIMBABWE FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION TONGA.ONLINE PROJECT GROUP: Peter Kuthan / AZFA, Dominic Muntanga |


