Bobo-Dioulasso: Niger is the guest country of honor for the 21st edition of the National Culture Week (SNC). In this interview, the Nigerien Minister of Youth, Sport, Culture and the Arts, Colonel-Major Abdourahamane Amadou, discusses his country's participation in the cultural biennial. Sidwaya (S): The National Culture Week (SNC) is a forum for the expression of Burkinabè cultural diversity. How do you appreciate this biennial? Abdourahamane Amadou (AA): My assessment of National Culture Week (SNC) is entirely positive for several reasons. It is a forum for cultural expression that allows you to see the entire country in the same place through all its diversity. Culture is what binds all people together through their diversity. It is also a platform that allows us to expand to other countries. As you noticed, in the community village, we did not only have communities from Burkina Faso. We had communities from around ten African countries which, through their culture, showed a lot of similarities with what is happening in Burkina Faso. It is a place of meeting, fraternity, solidarity, sharing and exchange of experiences. Hence all the beauty of this National Culture Week. It allows, once again, to bring together all the sons of Africa in the same place to remember that at one time they were all together. They are brothers and sisters from the same family. S: Niger was the guest country of honor for this 21st edition. How did you receive this choice? AA: It's an invitation that was welcomed at the highest level by the Nigerien authorities first, and then by the artists. In fact, an invitation from Burkina cannot be refused by Niger. Burkina Faso stood by our side at a time when we needed it, especially during the various crises that our country went through. Burkina Faso was on our side. Then, we share a lot of realities. We share the same geography, the same history, the same ethnic groups, etc. We are descendants of the same people. S: What did your country's participation in this 21st edition consist of? AA: Our country's participation consisted of expressing our common cultural identity, solidarity between our peoples and showing the world that we are the same through everything I have just said, particularly the geography, history and culture. Besides, when you visit the village of the communities, there is not a big difference, it is not remarkable. Until you ask who's who, it's hard to tell the difference through exhibits, crafts, art, and even culinary art. This therefore means that our people are the same. S: The theme of the edition was: 'Culture, historical memory and patriotic surge for a new Burkina'. In your opinion, what is the place of culture in the struggle undertaken by our countries for sovereignty and renewed dignity? AA: Culture must be in the foreground because it is through this culture that we recognize ourselves. It is our identity and it is the culture that unites us. She asks us to stand in solidarity with each other and to support everything that concerns our countries because it i s a global struggle that concerns all people. As the saying goes in Niger, it's country first. We must silence all our differences and take care of our countries. And currently, this is what is happening in the Sahel Alliance area. S: Burkina, Niger and Mali created the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). What is the place of culture in achieving the objectives of this Alliance? AA: Culture is the cement that binds people together. When you look at our borders, they are the same people, the same cultures, the same languages. Between Burkina and Niger, we have the Gourmantché. It is spoken on both sides of the two countries. And the same observation can be made along the other borders. S: Generally speaking, how did you find the organization of the SNC? AA: The organization was excellent. Since our arrival until today (editor's note Wednesday May 1, 2024), we have not encountered any flaws. The success of this event can be seen through several factors. First, the enthusiasm of the Burkinabe people because we s aw all the Burkinabe people meeting here. All the people were there. Then everyone was active. The number of cultural sites bustling at the same time during the day and even at night was extraordinary. It was total fervor Source: Burkina Information Agency
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