The Tribune

A DELEGATION of more than 40 Bahamian musicians and entertainers is heading to China to participate in the annual Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Exchange at the 2016 Meet In Beijing Arts Festival this weekend.

The group, which left the Bahamas yesterday, will perform at the Food Festival at the J W Marriott Hotel on April 30, then at the “798 ART ZONE”, a cultural hub that caters to thousands of people daily and features art galleries, museums, cinemas, culinary arts, theatre, open forums and exchanges on May 1 and 2, before returning home on May 3.

Two Bahamian bands, Visage and Ting Um Dem, along with Fred Munnings Jr, Julien Believe and the Goombay Dancers, were identified by the Bahamas Embassy in China to represent the country’s music and culture to the world.

Director of Culture, Rowena Poitier, said she had been told that this year’s event would be one of the biggest exchange programmes in China ever, with over 30 Latin American and Caribbean nations taking part.

“China is indeed one of the largest cultural and entertainment markets in the world,” she said. “As we work to develop the Prime Minister’s new and exciting vision to push the Bahamas’ creative and cultural industry, a market like China will be key. Music is one of the most powerful and transformative mediums in cultures, universally. China has a population of more than 1.3 billion people, so we view this as an amazing opportunity to jumpstart the Bahamian music industry in international markets.”

Three government departments have partnered with FOCOL and its Chairman Sir Franklyn Wilson, Equity Bank and Trust and its Vice-Chair Ivylyn Cassar, and The Palm Cigars and its President Robin Nichols in the cultural venture.