Belfast should celebrate its cultural diversity and prevent racists from hijacking the city’s image, festival organisers said today.
The organisers of a new festival in south Belfast said it will be a showcase for the area's rich diversity and a response to the racist attacks on Romanian families that recently hit the headlines.
Irish cultural arts organisation An Droichead (which means the Bridge) will today launch its event, Feile an Droichead 2009, with the help of Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long, the Arts Council and Foras na Gaeilge.
The four-day festival, from August 27th to 30th, will involve musicians and organisations from Chinese, African and European communities.
Coordinator of the Ormeau Road based An Droichead centre, Pol Deeds, said: "South Belfast has a rich and diverse community and we want to play our part in making sure that the negative images seen over the past weeks are not allowed to become the permanent image of our city.
"An Droichead has worked tirelessly over the past years to build our reputation as one of Belfast's leading exponents of Irish and Celtic culture.
"We pride ourselves on having the confidence to look beyond our culture and to reach out to the diverse communities that live in south Belfast.
"This festival will be a celebration of all that is good in our city. No one should be afraid to listen and appreciate other traditions whether they are from Belfast or Africa, Asia or other parts of Europe.
"Our message is loud and clear: we welcome you and we want to learn about your traditions and cultures just as we want you to enjoy and understand our traditions and cultures."
The cross-community festival has involved representatives of unionist and nationalist communities, while ethnic minority groups will also be attending today's festival launch to mark their role in the event.
Arts Council chairman Damien Coyle and Foras na Gaeilge deputy chief executive Tomas O Ruairc will be at today's festival launch at the award winning An Droichead centre.
Mr Deeds said: "It seems fitting that our new festival is named 'An Droichead', which means the bridge in Irish.
"Our aim is to continue building bridges with all the traditions in Belfast and to ensure that Feile an Droichead enriches the lives of everyone in our city."
Lord Mayor Naomi Long said she was delighted to support projects such as Feile an Droichead, that she said captured her vision for Belfast.
"It is wonderful to experience the vibrancy and diversity of what Belfast has to offer," she said.
"My vision is of a Belfast without barriers where everyone plays a role in contributing to the life of our great city — whatever their tradition or culture."
Highlights of the festival include performances by Irish and Scottish musicians such as Griogair Labhruidh, Sile Denvir, Alan Kelly Quartet, Dermot Byrne, Brid Harper, Tim Edey, The Daoiri Farrell Band as well as a performance by Double Meteor Award Winner John Spillane.
Other acts at venues centring around the Ormeau Road will come from Zimbabwe, Slovakia and Poland.
Vice-chairman of the Arts Council, Damien Coyle said: "The Arts Council is proud to support An Droichead's new arts festival, which celebrates our cultural diversity through music, song and dance and which makes such a positive statement about the confidence and spirit of the communities living in south Belfast."
PA