The Minister of Sports and Culture Julienne Uwacu has said there is need for stakeholders mainly musicians to take music career importantly and set standards as one way of making music an influential tool in Rwanda.
The Minister believes that this will be driven by increased creativity and innovation as well as taking music as any other career that generates income for people.
"There is still an issue of some artists who take music as pleasure and don't not look at income generating aspect," The Minster said adding that this attitude thus hinders others who depend on the industry for employment.
Minister Akacu also asked the music industry players to work in partnerships as one way of creating a one voice mainly for advocacy and ensuring that the industry becomes more professional.
The government and its partners are intensifying efforts to sensitize musicians and songwriters to register their copy rights, a thing that will help to protect their innovation while earning from it, moreover this comes at the wake of the celebration of the intellectual property day this month.
Blaise Ruhima, the in-charge of Intellectual property rights registration at Rwanda Development Board-RDB says that this year's celebration will mainly look at how intellectual property –IP could boost the music industry.
"In line with this year's theme, it's indeed to get up, for the music industry to ensure that our musicians get a fair deal, and that we value their creativity and their unique contribution to our lives," Ruhima noted
He adds, "The international community will look at how IP rights shape the music industry , how the music industry attracts investors, how innovation is pushing the frontiers of creativity in the music industry."
Ruhima says that the celebrations will also be an opportunity to create greater understanding about therole ofintellectual propertyas a balancing mechanismbetween the competing interest which surround innovation and cultural creation.