Two weeks ago Dominica hosted its first Literary Festival and book fair. The weekend event bought local and regional writers together with publishers and book sellers to showcase and celebrate the best of local talent and to encourage further participation and awareness in the literary arts.
A small delegation from this talent pool, along with other creative artists such as painters and actors are
; a 9 day event which unites the cultural talents of the Caribbean. Carifesta has been in existence since the 1970’s and continues to get bigger every year. This year the event runs from 22nd – 31st August and looks set to be
According to the
Carifesta Website, the Objectives of Carifesta are as follows:
1. Reaffirm the importance of the arts as a unifying force in building a wholesome society
2. Deepen awareness and knowledge among peoples of the Caribbean Region of the cultural aspirations of their neighbours by exposing them to each other’s culture through creative activity
3. Develop the content of our regional culture as well as its aesthetic forms
4. Foster maximum people participation in the culture and in the arts of the region
5. Inspire organisation of on-going activities such as local festivals, thus constantly improving standards
As I wrote recently
about steelpan in this blog, it does seem that the arts have a special power to unite the Caribbean in a truly positive and synergistic way. Thus this event which invites all Caribbean nations to participate is a symbol of regional harmony and integration as well as a boost to our cultural heritage and future. Please let me know your feedback if you attended Carifesta, either this year or in the past. I certainly hope to make it to the next one.
