The city of Bouna will host the 14th edition of the Bounkani Arts and Culture Festival (FESTIBO) from November 30 to December 5, 2026. This new edition aims to highlight the region's cultural heritage while addressing several social, educational, environmental, and security challenges.
In an interview with the Ivorian Press Agency (AIP) on Friday, September 4, 2026, the festival's general commissioner, Dah Germain, outlined the main features of the event, initiated by the Bounkani Regional Council in partnership with the NGO L’Étoile du Bounkani (EBONI).
The program includes a series of activities aimed at different audiences. Through the “FESTIBO Young Audience” initiative, primary and secondary school students will be able to participate in storytelling, interactive reading, choral singing, and theater workshops, as well as funfair games.
Young women will also be at the center of discussions through the “Focus Girls” panel, dedicated to issues such as sexual and reproductive health, teenage pregnancies in schools, and HIV/AIDS.
In addition, parents and teachers will be made aware of speech, language, and learning disorders through a workshop organized with the support of the Professional Association of Speech Therapists of Côte d’Ivoire (APOCI). Issues related to mining activities in Bounkani will also be addressed during a panel discussion.
On the cultural and tourism front, the FESTIBO village will host concerts and various entertainment activities. A tourist circuit will allow participants to discover an iconic site in the region. The streets of Bouna will also come alive with an artistic parade called “Street of Bounkani Rhythms.”
The fight against illegal gold mining will also play an important role in this edition. To this end, the performance “The Thirsty for Yellow Metal” will be presented in several localities across the region to raise public awareness of the consequences of this practice.
Sports activities will also feature prominently, including the “Maracana Night” and a community walk organized around the theme: “Defense and Security Forces and the Population, Together for Peace.”
The festival will also include a charitable component, featuring the distribution of food and non-food items at the correctional facility and Bouna General Hospital.
The official closing ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Bouna Sports Complex. It will bring together prominent figures, artists, and cultural stakeholders from Côte d’Ivoire and abroad.
For Dah Germain, this 14th edition aims to make FESTIBO a platform for promoting Bounkani's cultural heritage, while also raising awareness and encouraging dialogue about the challenges facing local communities.
