U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard. Photograph/TWITTER/POLITICS
The U.S. authorities is dedicated to strengthening cultural ties between it and Nigeria by music, arts, movie, cultural heritage, skilled and academic exchanges.
Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard made the announcement because the US Mission Nigeria hosted a reception on Thursday, Could 12, 2022, in honor of the fifteenth annual Headies Music Awards, which will likely be held for the primary time in Atlanta, Georgia later this 12 months.
She welcomed the 2 nations' rising ties within the artistic industries and mentioned the selection of Atlanta symbolizes the rising relationship between the 2 nations' music industries.
“This 12 months's awards will spotlight the rising ties between the US and Nigeria and the large potential of Nigerian musicians as cultural exporters to the African continent and past,” Leonard mentioned.
She added: “The US authorities has lengthy acknowledged the position of music in diplomacy, with an emphasis on free expression, improvisation and democratic and collaborative teamwork. Sharing music is without doubt one of the finest methods to seek out widespread floor with individuals taking part in an trade program. The attraction of music is actually common.”
In his welcome deal with, Performing U.S. Consul Basic Brandon Hudspeth famous that cultural and inventive exchanges are only one method the nation is partaking with the individuals and authorities of Nigeria.
“We proceed to discover revolutionary methods to foster helpful people-to-people connections between our two nations,” Hudspeth mentioned. “The U.S. Mission is honored to companion with the Headies. This 12 months’s Headies Awards will showcase the creativity and rising world attain of the Nigerian music trade.”
Government Producer of the Headies Music Awards, Ayo Animashaun, famous that that is the primary 12 months the Headies will likely be held outdoors Nigeria. He described Atlanta as residence to many distinguished hip-hop and R&B artists and their file labels.
“The Headies acknowledges excellent achievements within the Nigerian music trade. Our objective is to proceed to assist expertise growth and nurture innovation within the music trade,” mentioned Animashaun.
Additionally, the U.S. authorities just lately supported the preservation of Nigeria's wealthy heritage by the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) and different partnership mechanisms.
The Mission, in collaboration with the Nationwide Fee for Museums and Monuments and the Belief for African Rock Artwork, launched a singular touring exhibition, “The Historical Rock Artwork of Nigeria” on the Nationwide Museum, Lagos.
The present, sponsored by AFCP, goals to lift consciousness of the significance of conserving Nigeria's rock artwork – a cultural treasure that’s in danger.
Talking on the opening of the present, Hudspeth famous that the scope and depth of the assorted AFCP tasks within the nation have helped strengthen collective efforts in the direction of the preservation of Nigeria's cultural heritage, each for future generations and for tourism .
“For the reason that inception of this system, Nigeria has obtained ten conservation grants value $1 million, with tasks throughout the nation. This achievement sheds gentle on Nigeria's historic and cultural heritage. It is usually an emblem of the excessive regard the US locations on Nigerian tradition,” Hudspeth added.
In his remarks, Professor Abba Issa Tijani, Director Basic of the Nationwide Fee for Museums and Monuments, recommended AFCP tasks in Nigerian museums.
“The Fund has delivered nice ends in capability constructing, documentation and digitization of our wealthy cultural heritage. That is only the start. We look ahead to many extra productive partnerships with the U.S. authorities,” mentioned Tijani.
Government Chairman of Belief for African Rock Artwork, David Coulson, defined that the intention of the touring exhibition is to interact communities residing close to the rock websites about the fantastic thing about rock artwork and the risks it faces from each human as pure forces.
“It’s important that we improve the involvement of group members in efforts to protect and profit from their wealthy cultural heritage,” Coulson added.
The exhibition, held on the Nationwide Museum in Lagos, contains monoliths from museum storerooms, which haven’t been on public show for many years, greater than 50 pictures, 3D reproductions and thematic movies.
The exhibition will likely be open to guests in Lagos for the subsequent 4 weeks earlier than touring to the Nationwide Museum in Calabar in July and Ahmadu Bello College Zaria in September.
