African Arts and Crafts expo (AFAC) 2010

African Arts and Crafts expo (AFAC) 2010

African Arts and Crafts expo (AFAC) 2010

THE 3rd edition of the African Arts and Crafts expo (AFAC) 2010 hosted in Abuja the federal capital territory ended amidst glamour and fanfare with the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National orientation, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed adjudging the week-long event as a success, while tasking stakeholders on the need to re-position the art industry in country.

The event was packaged by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), with a view to promote import and export business of African Arts and crafts to buyers worldwide and showcase some aspects of African cultural heritage to the world.

On display during the event were rich and diverse African Crafts, African cuisine, fashion and cultural displays. Seven African countries participated at this years' expo and with 17 states including the Federal Capital Territory. The African countries at the AFAC 2010 expo were Ghana, Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali and Benin Republic.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the minister represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Sheidu Ozigis, said the expo explored opportunities and established linkages aimed at growing the frontiers and providing the exposure and market potentials for the growth of the arts and crafts industry.

The AFAC expo he added was "timely and offer great opportunities for stakeholders to gather on annual basis to share ideas with a view to adopting modern trends in line with the best practices in the industry.

"It has paved ways for linkages between the prospective investors and the art and crafts practitioners with the view to explore the resources of the culture and tourism sector in Africa."

The minister further noted that "the investment forum of the expo segment created a platform that exposes the designer, producer, and marketers in the sector to access microfinance facilities that can project the growth of the craft industry."

He said the sector had prospects that would contribute significantly in diversifying the source of the economy in generating employment opportunities, empowering the youth towards the constructive and productive ventures.

The Executive Director, NCAC Mr Mwajim Maidugu who also spoke at the closing ceremony noted that there were prospects that abound from the country's cultural industries which he said needed to be developed towards uplifting the rural economic status.

The concept of AFAC expo according to him was to create awareness on the need to look inward towards the drive to achieve a sustainable socio-economic development.

All the exhibitors at this year's event were presented with certificates and few others won different awards with the federal capital territory leading the award pack as it won the best exhibitor for the AFAC 2010 expo edition; Kaduna State won the best participating state, Kwara state won the most consistent state to the expo award and Ghana won the best participating country.

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