(Venezuelan Embassy) - The Cultural Festival with the Peoples of Africa came up in 2005 with the idea of highlighting the African heritage

, consolidating itself as a well-defined activity, unique in its objectives and integrationist aspirations. It is an event that contributes to the strengthening of our national and Our American identity, as well as to the construction of a pluripolar and inclusive world, in which peace, brotherhood and solidarity prevail.
The influences of Mother Africa on art, dance and all the expressions that today connect a large part of the continents, vibrated on November 26 at the Principal Theater of Caracas with Afro-Venezuelan and Caribbean rhythms that brought the audience to its feet.
This Fifth Cultural Festival with the Peoples of Africa, which aims to consolidate the exchange of cultural knowledge between Venezuela and Africa, opened with one of the representative groups of our identity, “El Grupo Madera”, which gave an artistic response by collecting the values of the people and their beliefs to the rhythm of the drum and salsa, which have their origins in that continent.
Cuba enlivened the festival in an impressive fusion of jazz with the recognized genres of Cuban music, by the group Luz D'Habana.
They were followed by Mozambique, the people of East Africa who dazzled with their "identity rhythm", music that has the characteristic of expressing emotions since ancient times.
Finally, Guyana and Egypt expressed their culture through their music, and will continue it in several parts of the country until December 2. This was reported by Reinaldo Bolivar, Founding-Director of the Institute of Strategic Research on Africa and its Diaspora.
“The objective, the unity, the integration, the interrelation, they come at this moment when Venezuela is attacked by the empire, and the international right.
The peoples of Africa come to say: here we are militating, in solidarity with Venezuela”, Bolivar said.
He also invited the Venezuelan people to enjoy a program that includes music workshops and discussions with the artistic groups themselves, “it is a program that will take place in schools in Guarenas, in the University Argelia Laya in Higuerote, Cagua town, Los Valles del Tuy, Los Valles de Aragua”, he said.

"THE STRENGTH OF SOLIDARITY"

Bolivar explained that this event is thanks to President Hugo Ch?vez, when in 2005 the doors of Africanity were opened, and that President Nicol?s Maduro continues today.
The second edition took place in 2007; in 2009 it was inaugurated by President Hugo Ch?vez; the fourth Festival in 2012; and currently the fifth Festival which from today we will start enjoying until December.
This space for the connection with African people’s Diaspora will dedicate a musical presentation by the group All State Made Cultural Group of Nigeria, in Cagua, Aragua Staste, this Tuesday 28.
Luz D'Habana, a Cuban group that deserves to be listened to for its jazz fusion and breaks the mould of Cuban music without running over it, will be at the MPPRE at 10:00 am also on Tuesday.
The closing ceremony will reunite all these representative expressions from the eight participating countries, where Venezuela will be represented by the Group Elegua Ritual Negro, at 3:00 pm at the Principal Theater of Caracas, in the towncentre of the capital city.