Accra, Aug. 7, GNA - The first carnival to be held for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) dubbed; "Lifting the Spirit of ECOWAS at 33" was on Wednesday launched in Accra. The carnival, which is the initiative of Mr. Sampson Kweku Boafo, Minister for Culture and Chieftaincy Affairs, would be held from August 15-17 and would bring together all the ethnic groups in within the ECOWAS sub-region.

Launching the programme, the Minister said he was inspired by a carnival he attended in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, which brought together all the ethnic groups in the country. He noted that the carnival which would mark the 33rd anniversary of ECOWAS would enable member states to showcase the vibrant cultural diversities and commonalities on a common platform and also help accelerate integration.

"This notwithstanding, we share many cultural commonalities despite the diversities which are influenced extensively by environmental and other factors," Mr Boafo added.

He mentioned street dances, parades, traditional West African fashion catwalk and expressions and exhibitions in visual arts as some of the programmes slated for the event. Other events would be ECOWAS football gala, television documentaries on the people and culture of West Africa and an ECOWAS ball. Mr. Frank Agyekum, Deputy Minister of Information and National Orientation, applauded the initiative adding, "people who lose their culture lose their essence of living". He noted that, "West Africans in particular were people who held their traditions in high esteem and all efforts should be put in to maintain the high value that we place on our culture."