2013 will be the 200 year anniversary of the birth of David Livingstone. He was born in Blantyre, Scotland, on March 19, 1813 and went on to become famous for his expeditions across Africa. He worked as a medical missionary which led him to explore further and deeper into Africa than previous explorers. His most famous achievement was being the first European ever to set eyes on the Victoria Falls in the mid-1890s. It was Livingstone who decided to name them after Queen Victoria. The town of Livingstone in Zambia was in turn named after him. The town is situated right by the Victoria Falls, on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, which is a Unesco world heritage site and a stunningly beautiful part of the world.

To commemorate the bi-centenary major events are being planned. These will include some cultural and sporting events, as well as an international arts exhibition. These will be held in Livingstone between his actual birthday on 19th March and Independence Day in October 2013. There will be all sorts of events showcasing the cultural and sporting interests of Zambia including theatre, street theatre, traditional dancing, bands and concerts, soccer, seven-a-side rugby, some exciting events on the Zambezi, fishing and cricket.

“The idea is to develop and hold these events regularly as part of a world-class festival,” says Rory Young, Chairman of the Livingstone Arts, Cultural and Sporting Events Development Organisation. This is a non-profit trust set up to ensure there is a lasting legacy from the David Livingstone Bicentenary to boost tourism, the local community and economy of Livingstone, as well as Zambian-based charities. Neighbouring countries have been invited to join in the celebrations and the benefits of the increased tourism that the event will create.