60th NAFAC anniversary launched
The National Commission on Culture (NCC) has launched the 60th National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) in Cape Coast, the Central Regional capital.
This year’s festival, which will also mark the Diamond Jubilee of the festival, is being organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
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The festival will be held in Cape Coast from Friday, December 9 to Saturday, December 17, on the theme: “Reviving patriotism, peace and unity through cultural diversity for sustainable development”.
Activities lined up for the week-long celebration include a colloquium, regional exhibition days, a float with masqueraders, a pageant, a women and girls day and an International Friendship Night.
The Executive Director of the NCC, Janet Edna Nyame, who launched the event last Wednesday, said NAFAC was a platform for the people to showcase their diverse ethnic and regional cultures to engender unity and development.
"Let me say that as a nation, we can only make progress and be recognised among our peers as trekking on a sound development trajectory when we take what belongs to us seriously, package it well and present it to others," she said.
According to Ms Nyame, NAFAC could consolidate its gains in 60 years and attain international status if the nation adopted the partnership approach in pursuing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the UN.
“Thankfully, from the intangible through to the tangible aspects of culture, the country is endowed with a fascinating repository of many cultural elements that show prospects for investment.
“We, therefore, have good reason that when NAFAC is raised to an international status, it will lead to substantial improvement in its celebration, thereby creating opportunities for the country to generate some revenue,” she added.
The Central Regional Minister, Justina Marigold Assan, said NAFAC provided an excellent conduit for the expression of the country’s cultural values, while showcasing its rich heritage to the rest of the world.
“We do this not only to celebrate our country, amid pomp and ceremony, but also capitalise on the experiences and lessons learned to further enrich our culture,” she added.
According to the minister, “any country that does not preserve its culture is bound to fail because the people are likely to lose their identity and respect in the comity of nations”.
Concerns
The Vice-President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of the Enyan Abaasa Traditional Area, Osagyefo Kwame Akonu X, expressed concern over illegal mining practices which he said were destroying the environment.
He mentioned forest reserves and water bodies as some of the resources that were being destroyed at an alarming rate in mining communities and appealed to Parliament to empower chiefs to deal with challenges such as galamsey.
The Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, urged residents of Cape Coast to actively participate in the NAFAC celebration.