NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS – Deputy Premier of Nevis the Honourable Eric Evelyn, Minister of Culture in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), says coming off the successful hosting of Culturama 49, preparations have already begun for the milestone 50th anniversary of Nevis Culturama in 2024.
“We know that Culturama 49 was just a precursor to what is to come in Culturama 50. I believe what we had in Culturama 49 befits the Caribbean’s greatest summer lime, and we’re going to ensure that that happens again in Culturama 50. We have taken note of all that may have gone wrong for Culturama 49 and we will ensure that we remedy everything and we get it right for Culturama 50,” Hon. Evelyn disclosed recently.
“We are promising everyone that Culturama 50 will be the mother of all Culturama festivals. We want to say that the planning for Culturama 50 starts today, and we’re going to go straight until next year. We want to remind especially persons in the diaspora that it will be a homecoming for Culturama 50, and we want you to start making plans from now.”
With regard the recently concluded festival, the Minister said he was satisfied with the overall management, organisation, and execution of all of the various competitions and street activities.
“I am very pleased with the way Culturama 49 unfolded here on the island of Nevis; I would say that everything went extremely well. I want to say a big thank you to the hard-working Culturama Committee, Antonio [Liburd] and your team; you did an awesome job and we can’t thank you enough. This year we had more sponsors coming on board and we say a hearty thank you to all of them because we couldn’t have done it without them.
“Of course, the Nevis Island Administration is the major sponsor every year. Culturama is an expensive undertaking and I want to thank my Cabinet colleagues and the entire Nevis Island Administration for once again coming through big for Culturama.”
Hon. Evelyn congratulated all winners and participants of the various competitions, as well as organisers of fringe events and Mas Troupes for their contribution to the success of the festival.
He recorded his gratitude to all who patronized events and activities for Culturama 49.
“I want to thank all who supported the activities, thank all our Nevisians and our visitors, those who came home, and of course, our friends from St. Kits who came over in their numbers to ensure that we had such an amazing time for Culturama 49.”
The Culturama Secretariat has already launched the Culturama 50 slogan contest, which runs until September 15, 2023. Culturama Secretariat Director Mr. Antonio “Abonaty” Liburd said planning for the 50th-anniversary celebrations will include extensive promotion of Culturama 50, which will be celebrated from July 25 to August 06, 2024.