My name is Manuel Bergoro. I'm the artistic director of the Ferrari International Festival of the Arts,

or Heifer for short. From 29th April,

Ferrari will be alive with dance, music, theatre, comedy, visual arts and poetry,

as well as workshops all going on for six days. Well, that's the plan.

One of the things that's so special about this annual event is the collaboration

between Zimbabwean performers and other performers who've come here from around the world.

What you're about to hear are a set of audio recordings that I've put together for the BBC World Service.

You'll hear my colleagues from some performers and from members of my family,

and it's a diary that was recorded in the months leading up to the elections and before any outcome was announced.

They are my way of describing the challenges that we face here in Zimbabwe,

whether it's putting on an art festival like Heifer,

or struggling with everyday things like shopping or power cuts.

But I hope you also get a sense of the joy that's in this city

and what we as Zimbabweans have to offer.

It's the 29th of January and I've been in Zimbabwe for about a week.

It's been something of an emotional rollercoaster of a week.

I arrived and it created all the sense of familiarity,

all the childhood associations, the smells, the feel of the place

that I always associate with home and that I associate with Zimbabwe.

I've met up with several people, particularly in the artistic community so far,

and what's clear is that the Harari International Festival of the Arts Heifer is seen as a focus

for their whole year, and that's both exciting as a festival director, but also somewhat terrifying.

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