The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

Brussels , 17 th September 2006

1 ST ACP FESTIVAL: LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

14-21 October 2006 - Santo Domingo, capital of ACP culture

The ACP Group of States will bring the creative talent and cultural richness of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific to Santo Domingo during October 2006.

The Festival brings together international artists, as well as emerging talent from the world of music, dance, visual art and cinema.

Free access to the public, but also aimed at the development of cultural industries of the 79 ACP States, the Festival promises to showcase the very best of the wealth of culture the ACP Group has to offer.

Among the musical artists appearing are Dakar superstar Omar Pène, Belize’s all-star project Andy Palacio and the Garifuna All Star Band, Congolese rumba supergroup Kékélé and Ivorian chanteuse Manou Gallo. Menwar from Mauritius will present his Creole take on traditional Sega music and the Zanzibar taarab orchestra Culture Musical Club will give acoustic renditions from their lengthy repertoire. From the Caribbean come exciting new musicians, in the form of sitar and tabla group Mungal Patasar and Pantar and voodoo drummers Racine Mapou de Azor. The groundbreaking Guinean female percussionists Amazones will also appear, sharing the bill with Africa’s rising stars Nfithe and Bongo Love.

Trailblazers from the contemporary dance scene will also be in the spotlight at the 1 st ACP Festival. From Senegal comes choreographer Andréya Ouamba with Compagnie 1er Temps, Kettly Noël from Mali, Ayikodans from Haiti, Nigeria’s Qudus Onikeko makes an appearanceand Fijian Letila Mitchell takes to the stage, and others from Dominican Republic and Caribbean.

The ACP Visual Art Exhibition will present a variety of works from the ACP regions’ most cutting-edge artists, including a selection from Festivals such as Dak’Art, Caribbean artists and photographers and Design Made In Africa.

As for cinema, ACP States offer films to thrill all the senses, such as the psychological drama Zulu Love Letters, a South African award-winning film on apartheid. Music takes priority in the Guinea-Bissau film Nha Fala and documentaries Mahaleo and Calypso at Dirty Jim’s, while the visual beauty of Traces, Empreintes de Femmes provides a genuine portrait of a changing Africa.

In addition, the ACP Group will organize a series of Professional Meetings covering various subjects from cultural diversity and industries to new technologies, specialist Masterclasses and a Cultural Industries Market Area for professionals in order to share experience, develop networks and promote and support ACP culture. The Festival will culminate in a Grand Parade through the city of Santo Domingo.

The 1 st ACP Festival will be held in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) from 14 to 21 October 2006 and preceded by the 2 nd meeting of ACP Ministers of Culture, scheduled for 11-13 October 2006.

For further information, consult www.acp.int/acpfestival or contact:

Holy Ramanankasina , tel: +32 2 743 06 17 rholy@acp.int

Michael Creek , tel: +32 2 743 06 04 mcreek@acp.int

ACP Secretariat, 451 avenue Georges-Henri, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium

Festival weblog: www.acpfestival.blogspot.com