The 15th Annual International Cultural Festival, sponsored by The Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration (MOFAI) will be held at the Botanical Gardens in Chippingham, Nassau, The Bahamas, on 16-17 October, 2010, from 10:00am until 6:00pm.
15th Annual International Cultural Festival
sponsored by The Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration
Where: Botanical Gardens in Chippingham, Nassau, The Bahamas.
When: Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 October, 2010.
Time: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Originally conceived to recognize United Nations Day, the annual International Cultural Festival is one of the most anticipated cultural events of the year in The Bahamas.
As the peoples of The Islands of The Bahamas consider their place in the new global arena, sure to be marked by the removal of borders and lifting of protections, they will come to appreciate the value that a mixed society brings to enriching the economic tapestry of the country in terms of the sharing of skills and experiences. Xenophobia will become a thing of the past as Bahamians grow to recognize and embrace the contribution that the international resident community has to offer. We remember the English teachers that helped to cultivate our minds and opened them to a world of possibilities.
We know well that work related postings to The Islands Of The Bahamas are especially sought after. As people come from around the world to work here and eventually make The Bahamas home, there is an abiding obligation to give back and contribute to their adopted home in meaningful ways that benefit the wider community.
The Festival fosters friendly relations and understanding between Bahamians and the international resident community. This high quality organic experience that emerged from members of the community has become an international signature event that serves to demonstrate just how diverse and cosmopolitan The Bahamas has become.
The Festival also provides a global platform for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration to encourage foreign countries to consider staging food and cultural weeks as well as host more trade missions to The Bahamas. Strategically, this makes The Bahamas a far more interesting and sophisticated place to live and visit by broadening and deepening the vacation experience and quality of life that’s available here.
Last year 25 countries signed on representing over 110 booths, catering to more than 30,000 festivalgoers and generating in excess of $300,000 over a two-day period. The numbers are expected to grow at this year’s festival.
To ensure personal safety and to be able to assess the level of revenue that the Festival generates annually, the festival will implement a cashless event, fashioned on its proven success at Tourism’s Junkanoo Summer Festival. Patrons will be able to go to any of the stations, provided by the Bank of The Bahamas, strategically located throughout the grounds for ‘festival dollars’ with which to purchase food and other items on sale.
Don’t miss this exciting and informative event.
Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 October, 2010, at the Botanical Gardens in Nassau.
International Cultural Festival website.
View more photos from last year’s Cultural Festival in The Bahamas.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
ICF Destination Spotlight
Featuring the United States of America, the Destination Spotlight will showcase the culture, heritage, familiar food and other indigenous aspects of the featured nation under a pavilion on the north lawn. There will also be video exhibits. A master class workshop will be conducted by the hip-hop dance troupe, Swagger Crew from Atlanta, Georgia.
International Group Travel Pavilion
Sign on for group travel to some of the exotic countries that will be represented at the festival.
Celebrity Chef’s Culinary Demonstrations Pavilion
Celebrity Bahamian Chef’s will compete and prepare cocktail items from the different regions of the world.
UNESCO’s International Art Display
UNESCO will lend its prestige to the event with works or art loaned from the collections of foreign nationals living here.
In addition to the Festival, there are a number of other United Nations events on the calendar. These events, though supported by MOFAI, have unfortunately taken place in isolation for years. While they are now valuable brands in their own right, they could use the help of the wider community in terms of funding to support the initiatives for the children and to boost attendance at the Church Service. They include:
* 27th April: Rotary’s 12th Annual Model United Nations Sessions(MUNS), a debating forum between schools that will take place at the Workers House.
* 29th May – Zonta’s 15th Annual United Nations Essay Contest Winner will be announced at the School’s Awards Day in all of the high schools
* Foreign Language Cadets summer immersion trips to foreign lands
* 25th October Zonta’s 23rd Annual United Nations Ecumenical Service at Christ Church Cathedral. All are welcome.
* 26th October MOFAI’s United Nations Flag Day
Winners of MUNS and the Essay Contest, outstanding students all, have traditionally been included in the Minister’s delegation and accompany him to the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York City in September. Funding trips from the Family Islands for schools to participate in the competition as well as trip expenses for the winners to go to New York City have been borne solely by the service clubs for years and they are crying out for assistance. In the spirit of community, we propose integrating these stand-alone events into an impressive celebration of the United Nations by pooling our resources to optimum advantage.
For information on other events for all islands of The Bahamas, please visit the Bahamas Calendar on BahamasB2B.com.
