First Rupununi Music and Arts Festival a huge success

Some audience members at the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival are enjoying the performance

First Rupununi Music and Arts Festival a huge success

Saturday, February 15, 2014 (CND) Three-day Rupununi Music and Arts Festival Have an auspicious start Rock View Lodge inside Anna On Friday, the District 9 community officially opened. Chancellor Samuel HindsHe highly commended the organizers for hosting the event, which brought performers from around the world to the interior of Guyana.

He said tourism has been identified as a sector that can boost development by attracting overseas tourists to experience the unique flora and fauna. To this end, the Prime Minister said new airlines and the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport are in the works to take advantage of the new opportunities available, along with the construction of the upcoming Marriott Hotel.

Guyana is listed as one of the 21 best places to visit in 2014 by a well-known tourism organization National Geographic Traveler Magazine The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to announce a cheque for US$5 million to the organizers as a token of government support for the inaugural event.

For Tourism Minister Irfan Ali, the event was about experiencing global music. “Music is one of the most beautiful forms of bringing people together, bringing cultures together and bringing humanity together.”

Minister Ali noted the influx of overseas guests and performers, reminding them that they can always extend their stay in Guyana’s cleanest and most beautiful region. The Minister also commended the organizers for launching the program and leveraging local talent and skills to ensure its success.

Brazilian performer.
Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett also said the event is a unique way to showcase Guyana’s interior to many people who believe that Guyana essentially begins and ends on the coast. She noted that the event will also benefit the surrounding indigenous communities who will learn from it.

Coordinator Colin Edwards said it had not been easy to organise the event and although he admitted some mistakes may have been made unintentionally, next year’s festival would build on what many attendees described as a fantastic event.
Edwards thanked all entities that made the event possible, such as the government, the Ministry of Tourism and American Indian Affairs, embassies, local banks and the many private sponsors

Toshao of Annai, Mark George, also welcomed the hundreds of visitors and urged them to enjoy what he described as “the most beautiful place in Guyana.” He asked them to encourage others to come and experience all that the community has to offer.

Performers include Mark Matthews (spoken word) and Keith Waite (jazz and world flutist) Chucky (Marlon Adams) and the Buxton Children’s Orchestra, Fusion African Drums, Ragu’s Indian Tassa Drummers, Raskamo, Indian Voices and Dance Workers, Trevor Rogers, Desmond Arthurley, Desmond Atiwell and the Surama Cultural Group.

International performers include Namvula from Zambia, Filligar (USA), Iryna Muha (UK/Ukraine), Ramon Goose (UK), Pavel Váně (Czech Republic), Aref Durvesh (UK) and Drew Gonsalves (Canada via Trinidad).

—-– Guyana Online Entry #3600