In 2005 the Christensen Fund invited Global Music Exchange to help set up and record the third Arba Minch Festival of Music and Dance in the town of Arba Minch, southern Ethiopia.  In 2006 GME took a greater role in managing the festival and also set up a local association, GUGHE, to administer future festivals.

A total of 32 different tribal groups came for the festivals over the two years that GME ran the festival. For more information, photos and recordings click here for 2005 or 2006.

Andi Main (who designed and organised the building of the Baka music house) organised local craftsmen to build the stage and festival infrastructure.
Su Hart with the help of Maya Wolf organised the decoration of the site and coordinated local schools to be involved.
Martin Cradick recorded the festival on his mobile multitrack and Nico Lewis filmed the festival with the help of local cameraman Befetary “Chombe” Assefa.

The website for the Festival of a Thousand Stars is www.1000starsfest.com.