KIDDAFEST 2002, the Accra International Children's Art Festival, was on Monday launched with a call on government to institute a proper cultural policy that would help promote and sustain the cultural values of the country.

Nana Kodua Kese, Adontenhene of New Juabeng and Chief of Oyoko in the Ashanti Region, said a proper cultural policy would not only ensure the preservation and promotion of culture, but also ensure the creation of an endowment fund that would support festivals such as the KIDDAFEST.

The four-day festival, which would be held from the 19 to 22 of December, is under the theme: "Our World without Barriers." It would serve as a platform for children's artistic expressions.

It would be attended by child performers not only from Ghana, but also from the sub-region including Nigeria, Togo and Surinam. Children from Europe, South Africa and the United States would also be attending.

Nana Kodua Kese said the annual festival if well sponsored would encourage children to have confidence in developing their artistic talents and be able to express their sentiments about issues that affect them as children.

He said children were often neglected from cultural festivals adding that Kiddafest had been the only sustainable artistic and cultural festival that seeks to address the holistic development of children irrespective of their socio-cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

He urged both private and public institutions to sponsor the programme to ensure its sustainability. Ms Marigold Akufo-Addo, a member of the National Commission on Culture, said world developments had made it necessary for a sustained culture to develop the child's heritage.

She commended the board of directors of Kiddafest for sustaining the festival for the past nine years and called on District Assemblies, Chiefs and communities to ensure the establishment of community facilities to enable the youth to develop their talents.

Madam Korkor Amartefio, Director of Programmes, National Theatre, said there would be performances of both traditional and contemporary forms in addition to an ECOWAS fashion show, ECOWAS Mock parliament and a Hip Hop theatre, among others.