Festival: "Homecoming of the Diaspora to Ouidah and other regions of Benin"

an article by Afriquinfos

The 2012 edition of the international festival, "Homecoming of the Diaspora to Ouidah and other regions of Benin (RECORDIA)" was to take place 26-30 July in Ouidah, southeast of Cotonou. The festival is intended to contribute to a culture of peace and coexistence of peoples on African soil, according to the general coordinator of the festival, Mr. Gilbert Goudjo.

CC BY SA Tonio94. Temple Vaudou at Ouidah

click on photo to enlarge

"The primary objective of the RECORDIA festival is not only to make a culture of peace, to promote indigenous African values as a lever for community development, and to ennoble the image of Africa, but also to put into action a strategy of uniting the communities of Benin, Africa, and the historical African diaspora elsewhere in the world, especially those who came from Benin," he explained.

"To put it another way, the objective is the promote indigenous African values and to use cultural promotion as a tool for community development, as was initiated in the World Fesitval of Arts and Cultue Vodun or "Ouidah 92".

"It is also a question of launching a resolute crusade against the bad image of Africa which is used to devaluate us in order to better exploit us." he declared.

During the RECORDIA Festival, there are plans to organize several events, including Community Days with representatives of communities and their Diaspora, an International Day of Brotherhood and Friendship between Africans and other peoples, and a trade and artistic fair.

(Click here for a French version of this article)

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This report was posted on August 14, 2012.

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