NAFAC and Cultural Awareness month launched

Accra, Oct. 17, GNA - The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture has instituted November each year as a National Cultural Awareness month to help integrate Ghanaian Cultural values and knowledge system into the daily activities of all to boost self-values and self-consciousness. According to Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, the decision has received overwhelming Parliamentary support and he appealed to the public to take advantage of the period to showcase the Ghanaian personality both at workplaces and at all social functions as a show of solidarity to promote Made in Ghana goods. Mr Boafo, who was addressing the media at the launch of the Jubilee National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC 2007) on Wednesday, said it was time Ghanaians got together as a team to promote their heritage. "A country without culture has no identity or soul which is tantamount to an abomination.

"This means that during November every year, whether there is NAFAC or not, the awareness creation would be actively pursued and the area which will occupy great attention is the culture of sanitation in the communities."

The Minister said the Jubilee NAFAC 2007, which would take place in Kumasi from November 1-10 under the theme: "50 years of Cultural Integration and National Development," would feature activities including inventors' exhibition, sector ministerial exhibition, women and children's day, regional day as well as national durbar of chiefs. He explained that the festival, which was adopted by the Arts Council of Ghana in 1967 as a national event, had gone through various changes, both in structure and content, including its rotation among all the regions.

Mr Boafo said the significance of Jubilee NAFAC to showcase and celebrate the unique diversities of the nation's rich cultural heritage as well as to promote excellence and creativity in arts at 50 years, must receive wide publicity by the media to make the event a memorable one.

He said a 32-member National Planning Committee, under the joint Chairmanship of Mr E.A. Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister and Nana Wiafe Akenten III, Offinso Manhene, has already been inaugurated to see to the success of the celebrations.

Mr. Boafo said for the first time in the history of NAFAC, Cabinet unanimously endorsed it as an important national event, which should be celebrated in a very big way to attract the whole world to Ghana.

"Cabinet, however, decided that the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations should be part of the National Planning of the festival," he said. He called for the intensive promotion of Ghanaian traditional cuisines in all restaurants and snack bars, homes as well as aboard Ghana International Airline flights during those occasions. 17 Oct 07