Fijai (WR), June 17, GNA – Cultural practitioners and creative residents in the Western region have attended a consultative meeting aimed to sensitize them on an upcoming European Union (EU) project to map cultural practitioners and creatives in Ghana.
Among the attendees were sculptors, scriptwriters and movie producers, cane and bamboo carvers, wood carvers, modelling and fashion designers, chainsaw operators, hat and bead makers, painters, tile and ceramic workers, sound engineers and software engineers.
Reverend Ebo Kesse, the Western Regional Director of the Center for National Culture (CNC), in an opening remark, mentioned that the meeting was also to fraternize and create networks among participants, ask questions and share their expectations on the scope of the project.
He said the EU, in collaboration with the Cultural Relations Platform, was implementing the project to map out active cultural actors and creatives in the coastal cities of Ghana and increase collaboration with Togo, Benin and EU countries.
That, he indicated, was expected to help identify cultural actors and creatives in the country who could benefit from investment and cultural partnerships and collaboration with the EU.
He said the project targeted Ghanaian individuals or organizations in the field of Cultural Heritage, Music and Performing Arts, Film and Audiovisual, Visual arts, Books and publishing, Cultural traditions (festivals, exhibitions, etc) and Cultural tourism.
Mr Christian Elongué, the Lead Project Coordinator, said the Cultural Relations Platform was an EU-funded project that connected cultural practitioners worldwide for dialogue, exchange and cooperation.
It also provides expertise to the EU in the field of international cultural relations.
He announced that the Platform was implemented by a consortium of four organisations – the Goethe-Institut Brussels (the consortium leader), the European Cultural Foundation, the International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts and the University of Siena.
He explained that the Cultural Relations Platform developed research into the cultural and creative sectors in countries around the world and facilitated cooperation and networking between cultural practitioners within and outside the EU, including cultural organisations, private foundations and the civil society sector.
It also provided advice and expertise to EU institutions and delegations all over the world and strengthen the capacity of cultural practitioners globally to deliver international cultural relations through local conferences, workshops and training via its Global Cultural Relations Programme.
Mr Elongué said by doing so, awareness of the importance of international cultural relations as a means of sharing knowledge was built, increasing understanding between different cultures and contributing to economic, human and social development as well as to peace and conflict mitigation.
GNA