CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (JANUARY 05, 2009) --A top official in the Nevis Cultural Foundation said the time was right for Nevisians to enrich their lives through the preservation of culture and the island’s heritage.
The Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Ms. Tonya Powell made that comment recently when the ongoing Travelling Caribbean Film Festival was launched on Nevis.
She said enthusiasm was often neglected as a force yet, without it there would be few achievements.
“Enthusiasm sets fire to the imagination; it asks two questions – what if? and if I did? And the results depend on the answers to those questions… Let us invite our heritage back into our lives this is who we are not what we want to be. Let us preserve our culture and enrich our lives through the preservation of our culture and our heritage. Only then will we find some of our answers,” she said.
The showcase which has been tailored to transfer a number of messages to students of primary school and secondary school age through films includes shorts, features, documentaries and animation from the spectrum of countries in the greater Caribbean which includes the 12 island nations, Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua, Belize and Costa Rica.
Meantime Director of Community Cohesion Mr. Abdul Kareem Ahmed echoed similar sentiments and urged the potential viewers to glean all they could from the productions
He said it was no secret that in the early ages of childhood from conception to preteen that the image identity and culture of a society was imprinted in the consciousness of a child, much of which was learnt through stories.
“In this age of stories told through information communication technologies including media and film it is urgent and necessary for children to see themselves in their own history, culture and identity,” he said.
Mr. Ahmed said this was the responsibility of the entire society in particular the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Social Development. He spoke of the role they had played to get the travelling film festival to Nevis.
“The NRP-led Administration pledged to empower young people and so Minister Daniel ensured that the Department of Culture and the Department of Community Development joined forces to work in partnership with the Ministry of Culture in St. Kitts and Nevis to bring the second Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase to Nevis.
“This showcase is aimed at Caribbean children and adolescents. The showcase is a celebration of fantasy, imagination, grace and beauty in which enlightening stories with educational significance will be screened,” he said.
The Showcase provided an opportunity for Nevisian children and adolescents to share for the first time stories, songs, fables and animated films in various languages.
Students from the island’s primary and secondary schools have been viewing the films this week while the public will be given the opportunity free of cost on Friday and Saturday evening at the Night Moves and the Cultural Centre respectively from 7pm.
