Conference For Continued Growth And Development Of Festivals
A conference assessing national festivals under the theme, “Our festivals: bridges across heritages”, has been conducted from the 6th to the 7th of June 2013. The conference was initiated with a goal to assess past experiences and fostering the capacity of organizing future festivals.
As is well known, the secrete behind the glory of the people of Eritrea is defined by the long nurtured common understandings which base the strong national unity. Among various other political and cultural factors, the role of our national festivals in earning this slender might of our nation is outstanding. As H.E. President Isaias Afwerki has underlined in the opening of the conference, “Eritrean festivals have been witnessing unique characteristic features since the armed struggle for independence through the entire nation building process; its significant role thereof attest to this. Our festivals are groundwork for depicting and popularizing social harmony, staunch resistance and productivity of the country, growth and development of various sectors and regions, as well as national and cultural values, besides the steadfastness of the Eritrean people”.
The national festival organized every year within the country and by Eritrean nationals in the Diasporas depict artistic presentation along with their ingenuity and dynamic contribution to the development and
bringing together of generations thereby cultivating a civilized societal culture. It is well evident that various cultures and societies are being held hostage by cultural imperialism, bringing about identity crisis among the youths of these nations, while their standpoint as to where to takeoff to set their path in life has been compromised. Unlike the reality in many other parts of the world, having youths who are proud of their Eritrean identity, history and culture is a great resource and relieving as well. Besides, the national festival is a vital juncture which serves as the center of gravity for these resources.
In a view of that, it is considered as an important national task to reinforce and strengthen the national festivals by all accounts, because the growth and development of these festivals, which have been
carried out with limited resources, should be unremitting to boost the conservation of the social values and fostering a civilized society. Hence, this conference is expected to make significant impact in crystallizing ideas as regards ways and means of achieving these goals. Victory to the national conference, “Festival Eritrea: Hereto-Thereto”.