Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - Accra International Children's Arts Festival (KIDDAFEST), opened in Accra on Friday with fun fare and display of traditional cultural dances from the 10 Regions. Some of the dances performed included; "Gomi" Dance performed to herald important occasion by people from the Greater Accra Region; Volta Region performed "Atsiagbekor" dance, a warlike demonstrative dance; and Northern Region "Bamaya" used for joyous moment.

The children clad in traditional Ghanaian cloths portraying the various customary royal regalia overwhelmed dignitaries and audience with their high intellect in understanding and translating Ghanaian drum sounds and language into gestures and movements on the dancing ground.

Others from Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Central, Upper East and West Regions equally engrossed the high audience including Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, media practitioners and children from some West African countries with cultural dance fragrance.

KIDDAFEST 2010 on the theme: "Our Children, Our Cultural

Heritage," seeks to bring together children artiste from all over the

country, to showcase different art forms of drama, poetry recitals,

dances and acrobatic displays. The three-day programme would be interspersed with

performances by some resident groups of the National Theatre

including the National Drama Company, Abibigromma and Nigerian

artistes. KIDDAFEST, initiated by the National Theatre of Ghana as part

of its mandate to promote and develop the arts in Ghana, has since

been hailed as the largest Arts Festival for children in Africa. Some artistic groups from Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Germany

have participated in previous festivals.

The Acting Executive Director of National Theatre of Ghana, Efo Kojo Mawugbe, appealed to the Government to put the right mechanisms in place for children to be well-cultured. He said the technological advancements of the world had made it necessary to design cultural programmes that would enhance cultural education and appreciation of the heritage of children. Mr Mawugbe said KIDDAFEST sought to stimulate the creative impulses in them, adding that some talents would be unearthed during the programme. Mr Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, Programme Coordinator of Cultural

Initiatives Programme, called on educational authorities to use

festivals such as KIDDAFEST to unearth the creative talents in

children. "As a nation we must all support initiatives that seek to promote the development of Ghanaian core cultural values and norms. It is absolutely important that as a sovereign people we must have a unique cultural identity and a common destiny," he said.