Foreign delegates from Argentina and Lebanon have commended the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) for hosting the 2020 International Arts and Craft Expo even as COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world.
They gave the commendations while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the drive-in-exhibition which ended on Friday night at the Sheraton Hotel open space in Abuja
According to them, the drive-in-exhibition which happens to be the first at this critical period held complying with COVID-19 safety protocols.
Mr Mishaal Khodr, Economic Attachè with Lebanon Embassy in Nigeria, said the platform created was innovative signifying
Nigerians’ resilience toward the promotion of culture.
Khodr said that Lebanon could not participate fully this year due to the poor state of its economy presently but would be on the ground in the 2021 edition to showcase its culture better.
According to him, video clips of cultural performances from his country were showcased to the public.
He expressed his love for Nigerians and their culture, adding that there were some cultural and educational collaborations between the two countries already that would be improved on.
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“This is a beautiful platform to educate someone coming into Nigeria for the first time, the various states and countries’ cultural documentaries and displays are quite educating and entertaining.
“I also love and appreciate the fact that international players are also given an opportunity to promote and market their culture, crafts and arts.
“As a matter of fact, I’m in love with Nigeria, it is my new favourite place, I never feel away from home here.
“I commend NCAC for this unique form of an exhibition and hope this further unites countries across the globe,” he said.
Also, Mr Fernando Lacabanne, Consul in Argentina Embassy in Nigeria, said the exhibition was quite a unique one which combined audio-visual and physical means of exhibition.
Lacabanne said the entire programme was interesting and educating as it also tried to enliven cultures across the world even as COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world.
He urged other countries present to emulate such an innovation in the cultural exhibition to unite countries across the world.
“It is amazing that such an event could hold in this era of COVID-19 pandemic, we have presented video clips containing various cultural displays from Argentina and we hope lots of people have learned from the exhibition.
“We hope to collaborate more with Nigerians as COVID-19 pandemic subsides to further strengthen our relationship,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exhibition was held as a drive-through to ensure that those in attendance complied with the COVID-19 pandemic safety protocols.
Viewers were seen in their parked cars at the venue of the expo watching cultural displays by artists, arts and crafts on exhibition.
Eleven states out of the 36 in the federation displayed Nigerian arts and crafts at the exhibition which also featured arts and crafts from India, Venezuela, Syria, Lybia, Lebanon, Ghana, Argentina and Kenya.
The states that exhibited their arts and crafts were: Adamawa, Anambra, Borno, Ekiti, Kwara, Kwara, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Ogun, Kaduna and Katsina.