Goma’s cultural scene struggles amid ongoing conflict

Inside the Goma Cultural Center, pianos and electronic keyboards lie under protective covers. Dozens of guitars, once used to teach Goma’s youth, hang silently on the wall. Usually serving as a gathering place for musicians, artists, and young people who want to see live music or enrol in music courses, the centre has been virtually shut down since M23 gained control of eastern DRC in January. The Rwanda-backed rebel group has since…