(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The return of the Caribbean festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) to its inaugural location, Guyana was hailed as a special moment in the history of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) by CARICOM Secretary-General His Excellency Edwin Carrington when he spoke at the ceremony to launch the 10th staging of the Region’s premier arts festival in Guyana on Friday 22 August.

The CARICOM Secretary-General remarked that the first CARIFESTA was a “most delightful experience”, adding that the festival “as well as our cooperation through culture, is an important part of the foundation of our regional movement, where our artists have led the way in giving expression to our richest cultural traditions; they have celebrated our diversity and our Caribbean identity and have taught us through their work, to love and appreciate who we are.”

In a year when the Caribbean Community is celebrating its 35 anniversary, the Secretary-General stressed that the Region recognised the important role of culture and CARIFESTA in creating and strengthening the CARICOM family... He added that CARIFESTA as well as the development of the Region’s cultural industries are integral to the master plan of creating a Caribbean Community for All.

“CARIFESTA has played an important role in projecting our Caribbean culture on to the world stage, which has brought international recognition and respect for our small Region as a civilization with strong cultural roots and expressions. Nowhere has this been more to the fore than in the exploits of our sports men and women, is it cricket or athletics as we are currently witnessing at the 29th Olympiad in Beijing, the CARICOM Secretary-General added.

He urged that the Region draw inspiration from the Caribbean athletes in Beijing to commit to lift the profile of CARIFESTA towards making it an international event. He further urged that Community nationals “be energised by this moment in history to invest in stimulating and promoting our artists, our culture and our cultural institutions.”