It has been acknowledged that cultural festivals have become one of the most veritable sources of economic development in every nation if well-harnessed; and that strategic organisation of festivals is very pertinent to countries more especially developing countries around the globe.

The Vice President of the Central Academy of Cultural Administration (CACA), Beijing, China, Mr. Duan Zhouwu, made this known in a 3-weeks seminar, titled, “Seminar for Directors of Festivals from Developing Countries,” organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in conjunction with their Culture counterparts in Beijing, for developing countries, on 26th June, 2015.

Zhouwu said that through cultural festivals, the economies and social lives of many countries have grown positively, noting that many traditional festivals that could have been good sources of income to developing countries have been neglected; and advised that culture workers need to go back to the drawing board for proper identification of various neglected festivals to harness them for better development.

In her remark, the Director, International Exchange Department of the Academy, Mrs. Zhou Meife, observed that developed countries have turned toward developing their various cultural festivals even going further to create more for economic development and called on participants to imbibe the spirit behind the seminar to enable them learn and achieve more on how to developed cultural festivals in their countries.

In his vote of thanks, Mr. Hakeem Harb from Jordan thanked the organisers for such the magnanimous opportunity given to the privileged participating countries to come to China and learn more about cultural festivals under the full sponsorship of the Chinese government and pleaded that the seminar be an annual event.

Meanwhile, a total of 18 countries are participating in the seminar, including Nigeria, represented by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) with Mrs. Jane Anigala (Assistant Director, Admin, NICO Abuja – team leader), Mrs. Chioma Duru (Assistant Director, NICO South-East Zone, Owerrri), Mr. Nnaemeka Nwajagu (State Coordinator, NICO Enugu); and the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC) represented by Mrs. Susan Ogohi.

Nwajagu Nnaemeka  

Reporting from Beijing, China