Carifesta X1 opens with high level of arts and culture
The artists of Suriname, the Caribbean and Latin America were invited to raise the level of arts and culture in the region and to join forces in Carifesta XI to put Surinam’s culture on the world map , saiss Ivan Graanoost, Chairman of the Suriname’presidential Host country Management Committee of Carifesta XI. Carifesta is the Caribbean festival of Arts and Culture that was held in Suriname from August 16 to 25 this year.
Carifesta XI implement the community festival aspect of the Carifesta festival plan, by installing Carifesta XI subcommittees in the various districts of Suriname with the aim to involve rural communities in this biggest Celebration of Caribbean culture.
The festival theme , Culture for development was interpreted by each participating nation and in the case of Suriname their President personally monitored the content of the national presentation at Carifesta XI , says Graanoogst.
The Carrifesta XI chairman highlighted the importance of culture as a means for economic development and pointed at the support Suriname received from the Cuban Government . Carifesta XI will be Suriname’s dress rehearsal for theirr participation in June 2014, in Cuba’s Festival del Fuego which has Suriname as its theme, Graanoost said. His biggest concern as chairman of the Carifesta host country management committee is to ensure a 
lasting legacy which will help to expand and build culture as a local and regional source of economic growth, both for large corporations and for individual artists and artisans. The challenge of capacity building and training of youths and next generation artists and entrepreneurs in the fields of arts and culture is huge, he said. “With the help of Cuban experts we are planning to organize workshops and training facilities to lay a solid foundation for cultural industries in Suriname and the region,” says Graanoogst.
In the case of Suriname he added that he has held talks with the Speaker of the National Assembley of Suriname Mrs. Jennifer Geerlings, about legislation which will enable the annual celebration of Suriname’s arts and culture in an institutionalized Suriname History Month.
