Cultural Voice

If you're in Jamaica next weekend, the 1st September 2012, be sure to check out the Gungo Walk Festival. It'll showcase two stages with performances from Acmatic, Roslyn, SEZi, Black as Cole, Stone Dub, Suzanne Couch, Charmaine Limonius, Sky Grass, Pentatwuch, Mystikal Revolution and One Drop Routz. They'll also have "Armchair Rebelution" with Michael Sean Harris, Tessanne Chin and Di Blueprint.  An official Jamaica 50 event, the Gungo Walk Festival is a new, annual music and arts festival which will be held on the 1st September 2012 in association with Edna Manley College of the Performing Arts (EMC). You may also take a stroll down to our Magazine... check it out:     

Welcome to the second issue of Cultural Voice eZine    The  Cultural  Voice eZine  team extends congratulations  to  countries worldwide celebrating 50 years of independence during  2012. Countries including those in the English-speaking Caribbean  such as Jamaica  and  Trinidad  & Tobago; the middle  East and African region such as Algeria  and Rwanda;  and Samoa, a country in the pacific.  We are looking forward to unearthing the cultural wonders worldwide. Follow  us on Twitter  and  facebook for  updates. We  note that sports is often not included  in discussions of culture but we believe that the platform created for cultural expression should  be harnessed as we seek to create greater economic development through the creative industries. Click here to read August's Issue

While in London on a trek to discover the artistic creations heralded as cornerstones of the Cultural Olympiad, a celebration of all things Artistic, I stumbled into a pile of books! It was a relatively overcast day, with  temperatures above average in the city hosting the 2012 Olympics. People paraded in greens, blues, yellows and reds, waving country flags indicating the patriotism that is especially poignant during any Olympics games. Dressed in the colours Green, Gold, and Black, I paraded along the Southbank enjoying the smells from hot dog stands and picnic areas donned with Mojitos. A guide suggested a visit to the Southbank Centre. On entering people buzzed with excitement seemingly in 'culture paradise' with the 10s of choices for artistic stimulation. I turned a corner and in the midst of the revere there they were, these books! A group of visitors approached the display, made funny faces, and walked with flashing hands, signalling their boredom wit...

Forgotten Diaries Blogger Arevik Hayrapetyan shares w/CV her experience at the International Youth Camp Dialogue 2012 From 11-July 15, “Forgotten Diaries” was represented in the International Youth Camp Dialogue 2012, organized by Youth Department of the Council of Europe. This event gathered at one place more than 100 volunteers, youth activists and youth leaders. They all came from different national, cultural, religious backgrounds; they represented different organizations and had different interests and walks of life. But what was really common for all the participants was that each of them, without any exception, does strongly believe in the importance of intercultural dialogue for the better world we want to create. From the very start of our Camp what the essence of  real Intercultural Dialogue was present. The presence of so many cultures and nationalities, people with different ways of thinking was not at all a reason for any kind of clashes or disputes. On the contra...

1) In your travels where is the most special destination you've been to and why? The Actun Tunichil Muknal ( ATM) Cave in Belize: It is a cave two (2) km under ground full of several thousand year old intact Mayan artifacts and the entrance is almost mystical 2) What is your opinion of world peace? "Politics and oil will prevent us from ever achieving world piece, governments are too greedy to cooperate" 3) What is your favourite drink? " A 2006 chateauneuf du pape"  4) If there was anything you could change about the world what would it be and why? "Changing the world is a bold statement, why push for fantasy items we cannot achieve, rather lets focus on the things we have the ability to impact"

ÇATALHÖYÜK FEATURED ON UNESCO’S WORLD HERITAGE LIST As the World Heritage List celebrates its 40th birthday this year, Turkey joins the party adding its eleventh location to the list; Çatalhöyük. Çatalhöyük is a large Neolithic and Chalcolithic site in Konya, in Southern Turkey. Its history goes back to 7400 BC, and it is the largest and is said to be the best-preserved Neolithic site to be discovered hitherto. The site was first excavated in 1958. It is composed entirely of residential buildings and held an estimated population of 10.000. In the UNESCO Resolution, accepted by its 21 experts from various countries, it is expressed that Çatalhöyük fulfilled the basic requirements set by the Treaty of World Heritage, it preserved its authenticity and entirety and had a “global outstanding quality”. The site was nominated for the list by the Turkish Ministry of Culture, and the resolution won raves in Turkey from many parts of society. On the other hand, UNESCO experts...

Contributor: Derefe Chevannes How many times you heard folks referring to Africa, not as a continent but a country? It’s, “are you African?” rather than “are you from Kenya? Or, Uganda? Or, the Congo, even?”         Or, how many images do we see daily with starving kids with big bellies lying in the dirt waiting to die? Or, how many times do we see lions, giraffes or hippos being the image of the African animal? Also, let’s talk honestly about images of corrupt politicians and bankrupted, poor nations that seem to represent all countries on the continent. How many times have we heard those narratives? And, it’s not that they are untrue, but that they are NOT representative of Africa’s vast diversity.                                          ...