Abuja International Theatre Festival premiered November 1, 2023, with a spotlight on the role of the performing arts in peacebuilding and diplomacy.
Themed: “Peacebuilding, Performing Arts and the Society”, the maiden festival scheduled from October 31 to November 5, 2023, highlights the role of culture in the promotion of peace, understanding and cooperation amongst cultures and societies.
In his address to the media, the festival director, Jerry Adesewo said the theatre has proven itself, “a steadfast companion, offering solace, reflection, and a lens through which to examine our shared humanity.”
This shared humanity is exemplified in the festival’s opening play, The Alienist by Brazilian author, Machado De Assis, which universalised the shared experience of how treading on the murking edges of science, the absence of self-regulation, and the relegation of the public’s opinion, can lead to drastic consequences.
Describing De Assis as the Brazilian Shakespeare whose works still resonate with present happenings in contemporary society, the outgoing Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ronaldo De Lima, stressed that art is not just an expression of beauty, but a means of diplomacy for social change.
Societies, he said must exhaust every means possible including the arts before resorting to war.
“We should rely on diplomacy and allow societies and various groups of societies to express themselves through art.”
Highlighting the similarities between Nigeria and Brazil, which include the highest numbers of the global black population, climate and topographic conditions, and Yoruba culture among others, De Lima said the need to enlighten both nation’s populations of their shared similarities, as well as to deepen the shared bonds led to the embassy’s development of a programme to promote simultaneously Brazil and Nigeria’s cultures.
“Culture is the leading mechanism for other diplomatic relations be it economic or political relations. Brazil and Nigeria have been together during the Pangea time, and now we share a lot of physical ties including climatic conditions. For these reasons, our researchers must be connected with Nigerian researchers.”
For the chairman of the occasion, Major General Tukur Buratai (rtd), cultural diplomacy is fundamental in bridging cultural gaps and experiences, where people of different cultural backgrounds, literary experiences and societies of varied developmental stages co-exist.
Commending the festival organisers and the Brazilian Embassy, its major partner, the former military officer, diplomat and founder of the Tukur Buratai Literary Foundation announced that “he is connecting with the arts and theatre practitioner to promote cultural diplomacy.”
ABITFA special honour award would be presented to Hajiya Lantana; while Crosscultural Luminary award goes to Ambassador Ronaldo De Lima; special honour award to Mr Ben Tomoloju; special honour award to the director of Nigeria National Troupe, Mr Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed; and special honour award to Ukrainian Artistic director, Pro English Theatre, Alex Borovinsky.
Other awardees include the President of the National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners, Israel Eboh; Chikelu Chinelo; and the peacebuilding award to the chairman of the event, Majo festival features eleven play productions, 8 local productions and three productions from Romania, Jamaica and Ukraine, in addition to workshops and masterclasses on performing arts.
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