President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to grace the third National Cultural Festival, slated to be held in Ruvuma Region from September 20 to 23, this year.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports, Gerson Msigwa, announced this while addressing journalists in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, noting that the festival will be accompanied by a national debate on combating moral decay.

"Among many other things, this year's festival will focus on tradition, from costumes, performances, dances, to interpretations, and many activities and items that youth born in the year 2000 have never experienced," he said.

Moreover, he noted that the festival will feature a special display of the use of 'khanga' as a traditional Tanzanian garment.

He added that more than 25 traditional groups from mainland Tanzania are expected to participate in the festival.

According to the PS, the festival follows two previous national events, one held in Dar es Salaam in 2022 and another in Njombe Region last year.