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SURINAME’s Independence Square in the nation’s capital, Paramaribo, came alive Friday night as the 11th edition of the Caribbean Festival of the Arts (CARIFESTA)was officially declared open.
Dubbed the region’s largest single cultural event, being held from August 16-25 under the theme, ‘Culture for Development: Celebrating our diversity and promoting the central role of culture in economic, social and human development’, is seeing participation from more than 30 countries the world over as it seeks to celebrate the arts, foster a vision of Caribbean unity, and positively advance Caribbean culture regionally and internationally.
Addressing the opening ceremony, CARICOM Secretary-General, Mr. Irwin LaRocque said that as the event unfolds, CARICOM will make it its duty to seize every opportunity to explore the business of culture, and the many ways in which the development of the region’s cultural and creative industries can help realise prosperity.
And, with the Caribbean Marketplace for the Arts, a new feature of the 41-year-old Festival, seeking to provide opportunities for the further professional development of young artists, Mr LaRocque said international industry executives, festival managers, booking agents, promoters and producers are most welcome to participate in the event so as to help generate business for the region’s artists through networking and forging new partnerships.
He said that it is with the foregoing objectives in mind that CARIFESTA is undergoing a transformation to be better positioned as a space in which Caribbean culture and the arts can be promoted to help improve the economic viability of CARICOM member states.
A passionate people
CARIFESTA, he said, is a festival that is beloved by all the people of the Caribbean, since culture is their passion, and they are a people who are proud of who they are; they celebrate their identity and diversity, and are more resilient because of their history.
They are also passionate, and take great pride in their many accomplished and renowned artists, musicians, writers and dancers, who inspire the global imagination, since culture is their passion.
And what makes CARIFESTA XI even more special, he said, is that it’s one of the highpoints of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which gives that institution cause to reflect on integration as its vision.
Paying tribute to Guyana’s key role in the founding of CARIFESTA, Mr LaRocque said it was Guyana’s own Forbes Sampson Burnham who responded to the request of a group of writers for a forum, wherein artists and the people of the region could come together to celebrate their culture and diversity.
He said it was because of Burnham’s recognition of the importance of culture as a foundation of CARICOM’s original movement to bring the Caribbean people together to create one Caribbean family with integration as its vision that CARIFESTA came about.
And, seizing the opportunity to commend and thank the President, Government and people of Suriname for their generosity, tremendous work and dedication in making arrangements to host CARIFESTA XI, Mr LaRocque said:
“We appreciate that this is an immense undertaking, and we look forward to experiencing, yet again, the warm hospitality for which Suriname is highly renowned within the region.”
He also commended Suriname’s President Desiré Bouterse, who, as host, declared open the 10-day event, for his commitment to his portfolio in CARICOM (which includes gender, culture, youth and sport, which, in his words, “has been an inspiration.”
He expressed delight at the celebration of CARIFESTA in Suriname, a member state which he posited is well known for its rich cultural diversity and heritage, as reflected in its various ethnic groups, religions, languages, traditions, dress, and exotic and delightful cuisine.
In closing, Mr LaRocque noted that there is much to learn and be enjoyed from CARIFESTA XI, and that he looks forward to sharing and creating new memories and partnerships.
Momentous occasion
Meanwhile, President Bouterse extended a warm welcome to everyone present, estimated at 10,00-strong,and gave assurance that for the duration of the festival, the people of Suriname would succeed in making all participants of CARIFESTA XI feel connected to each other as equal human beings.
President Bouterse expressed his personal delight, as well as that of his citizens, to be hosting the festival as the region celebrates for the 11th time its diverse and vibrant culture, and explore how various nations can employ their roots towards a common development of the nations.
He further said that his countrymen stand ready to demonstrate — together with those of other participating countries — how expressing themselves in a cultural extravaganza strengthens the ties between peoples across borders.
“Moments like this are God-given, so let us share our aspirations, our joy and our love to make this Caribbean festival of the arts in Suriname an unforgettable one,” he added.
President Bouterse pointed out that, for the first time in its history, the festival would bring together people from the Caribbean and those who live in other parts of the world to help share the warm Caribbean feeling, and to participate so that they would increase the success of diversity and culture.
Besides the 15 that make up CARICOM, the Festival is this year seeing participation from countries in the wider Caribbean, South and Central America and as far afield as Indonesia, India, South Korea and China.
As Mr Bouterse observed, culture is an important element of a healthy society, since taking into account only the economic and social factors, without paying attention to the cultural perspectives would not be sustainable for development in the long-term.
Cultural expressions, he said, establish respect and understanding among individuals and groups with varying identities, and help resolve and prevent conflicts, thereby enhancing collaborative efforts. Further, it
instills in people a feeling of liberty, reflects peoples’ hopes and aspirations, and helps determine the positive goals in their lives.
Full support
As for Suriname’s Minister of Education and Community Development, Mr. Ashwin Adhin, he said his agency was in full support of the theme of this year’s festival.
“With this theme, we want to underline that our region as a whole, and our nations individually, and Suriname especially, are blessed with a huge potential of human resources, which we can develop for our socio and economic benefit through culture and education.”
He indicated that it was the second time CARIFESTA is being hosted in Suriname, which is considered a place with a unique cultural diversity, and the country proudly welcome the participating countries and associate member states.
He said that during this period, participants to the festival are gathering in Suriname to celebrate their culture, learn from their diversity, and join forces to place their culture on top of the agenda of the region’s development policies.
Mr. Adhin highlighted that the world is moving from an information age to a conceptual age, where change is driven no more by information or the availability of information, but the ability to produce concepts out of the information available.
As such, he explained, this year’s festival will focus on creativity and cultural expression as a driving force for social and economic development, transformation and articulation of human needs, and will examine some key relationships between culture and development.
He posited that when the history of CARIFESTA is reflected upon, with celebrations in countries such as Guyana, Cuba, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, it is obvious that a great job has been done for the integration process of the region, resulting in the continuation of this vibrant culture and arts festival.
During the process of preparing for the festival, he said, he and the organising committee made it an obligation to make the event as great and unforgettable as possible, not only from the organisational point of view, but also in its content.
He explained that, in close collaboration with the participating contingents, the Suriname CARIFESTA Organising Committee managed to have the best possible artistes and perfomers from the Caribbean, and the most interesting symposium topics, among other aspects, for this festival.
CARIFESTA XI was officially opened amidst a wide array of cultural performances, including what will no doubt be the talk of the town in the weeks ahead, this being the show-stopping display put on by some 340 Surinamese children and ten Shaolin Monks from China.
Apart from the various forms of entertainment and cultural performances, there was also a parade of nations in which members of the national army and police paraded with the flags of the various participating countries.
Additionally, the flags of the participating countries were illuminated on the façade of the Presidential Palace, while a spectacular display of fireworks helped make the event even more fascinating.
