By Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Feb 20 (PIA) – The Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI) and the Claret Colleege of Isabela (CCI) will host the first Basilan Arts Conference 2012 for cultural education and peace-building slated on February 23-25.
The conference, with the theme “Taguima heritage, arts and peace”, intends to gather selected cultural educators teaching the arts and various artists in the communities to look into the state of the culture and arts in Basilan and how each could enrich creativity and the aesthetics values of young Basileños towards building peaceful communities.
The project is supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the city government of Isabela, the provincial government of Basilan, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao regional government, the Department of Education (DepEd) – Isabela City School Division, and the Philippine Information Agency in Basilan.
In its concept paper, the organizers hopes to finding better and sustained cultural education and peace-building initiatives in Basilan, saying that the image of the island province has been “ugly worldwide” since the notorious Abu Sayyafs saw terror and diminish the people’s appreciation of its culture and arts.
“Dark stories of killings, kidnappings, war, and militarization, including religious and tribal/family conflicts continue to haunt the young generations today. And perhaps these would continue to haunt the next generations to come until something is done to save these generations from being consumed by the ideas of the ugly, the bizarre, the wicked, and hopelessness,” the document said.
The organizers are alarmed of young people becoming ignorant of their own culture and have expressed concern over the diminishing appreciation of the arts and culture among the youth.
Inputs and workshops will highlight the conference with lectures from cultural affairs officers Prof. Sunnie Noel of the Mindanao State University in Marawi City and Maechille Buhisan-Quiñones of the Southern Christian College. Other lecturers include Earl Pasilan, Victoria Siason, and the internationally renowned visual artist Rameer Tawasil.
The conference is held in time for the observance of the National Arts Month this February with the theme “Tradisyon at Inobasyon” (Tradition and Innovation). (RVC-PIA9 ZBST)
