The curtain went up on the first ever Inter Guiana Festival to be hosted in Guyana on Thursday evening at the National Cultural Centre. The Festival is relatively a new idea among the three Guianas, and is described as a huge step towards building bridges of friendship among the three countries.
Further to this initiative, new opportunities and mini festivals will be born and will see the celebration of cultural practices among celebrants in the various countries.
It will allow for the interaction of cultural practitioners, administrators and those in love with culture and willing to learn about it and its practices in the various countries at one celebration.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, termed the event auspicious and noted that it represents an important development in the relations among Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname.
“This step is very important for Guyana, as it widens the existing areas of cooperation and deepens the ties among the three countries which geographically lie side by side on the shoulder of the continent of South America,” Hinds stated.
He said the ties among the three nations have been constrained historically as they were all colonies of the English, Dutch and the French empires.
“Though we are side by side on the north coast of South America, our links were few,” Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said.
Prime Minster Hinds said that the great diversity of the peoples, the variations in food, dress, song and other cultural manifestations, when combined, create an intense image and fascinating mosaic.
“The Inter Guiana Cultural Festival is a celebration of this diversity…it is an attempt to bring to the fore the priceless cultural treasures that we possess…It is an attempt to share with each other these traditions, practices, and traditional resources,” Mr. Hinds said.
Meanwhile Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, said that while the festival is relatively new, the idea of closer cooperation and collaboration among the Guianas is an old one, which language and geography have often conspired to constrain.
However, with renewed vigour from the countries’ peoples, there is determination to create new vistas of friendship, hope and opportunity.
He added that the festival presents a new place which the  strengths, diversity and uniqueness of the separate cultures can be shared, appreciated and enjoyed by all.
“It is a forum to exchange ideas…to teach…to learn…to reinforce each other through cross fertilisation and mutual stimulation…out of these interactions of our cultures, news forms of cultural and artistic creativity will emerge,” Minister Anthony posited.
He said that it is also the place where local cultural entrepreneurs will forge new alliances, create new products and reach new audiences. As such, it is for all these reasons and more that the gathering should celebrate the creativities of the Guianas in the performing arts, visual arts, fashion, food, and literature.
Minister Anthony also recognised the patron for the festival, Mr. E.R. Braithwaite C.C.H., for his outstanding contribution to the literary arts through his novel “To Sir with Love” which became the cornerstone for cutting across cultural differences.
“His work “To sir with Love” has had an impact in England when it was first published…When the film was first released its impact was further amplified around the world…This book has helped to re-shape thinking, and several generations to avoid racial bigotry,” Minister Anthony said.
At the National Cultural Centre there were cultural performances from the three countries in songs, dances and drumming among others.
The Second Inter Guiana Cultural Festival will see 50 participants each from Guyana and Suriname and 60 from French Guiana, participating in a host of cultural activities which showcase cultural diversity including exhibitions in visual and literary arts, culinary and performing arts, fashion and country nights.
The First Inter-Guiana Cultural Festival was held in Paramaribo during August 26-28, 2011.