Self-love in National Patriotism Month

Against the backdrop of a melting pot of the cultures of TT, Community Development, Culture and the Arts Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly launched National Patriotism Month 2018, on Friday night.

The minister chose the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), San Fernando during the Prime Minister's Best Village Folks Arts Festival to launch this third instalment of "self-love" and "self -appreciation", themed Colour Me Trinbago. Ten groups, including Malick Folk Performing Company, Ah We People Theatrical Horizon, Swastika Dance Group, New Edition Dance Crew and Arawaks Dance Company, treated the audience to exceptional performances.

Gadsby-Dolly said National Patriotism Month will be observed from August 17 to September 24, and coincides with Independence Day and Republic Day.

“We are focusing on our heritage and our culture, our natural environment. Our film industry is part of this drive to love ourselves and to see all that is Trinbagonian, all that we should be proud of.

“This Best Village festival is the backdrop of the launch because it is really an encapsulation of all our culture and all our heritage and all the different aspects of it.”

Best Village performances will continue at SAPA until August 26, and Gadsby-Dolly encouraged the public to come out and “really see the breadth and depth of our culture because we recognise a lot of times people don’t really experience all of our culture.

Chair of the National Patriotism Committee Rodelle Phillips-Simmons underscored that patriotism is about the strength of collective love for TT which helps people find positivity and solutions to challenges they face.

She said while athletes show their national pride by sprinting or cycling, and poets pen their innermost thoughts and memories, over the next week, artistes will express their patriotism with their acting, dance, singing and drumming skills.

“We will feel our history, our pains and pride and our love for TT through these performances," Phillips-Simmons said.