Brazil is the country “guest of honor” of the International Festival of History of Aného (FIHA), event which will be held from November 23 to 26, announced this Sunday the organizing committee during a press conference. .
Aného – a locality located about 45 km east of Lomé – has the particularity of having a predominantly Afro-Brazilian population. This city was twice the capital of Togo (from 1886 to 1897 then from 1914 to 1919). It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2000.
Placed under the theme: “Encounters”, the FIHA is an initiative of the Aquereburu & Partners Foundation in collaboration with the Commune des Lacs 1.
The Festival aims in particular to promote through multifaceted activities, the rich historical, cultural and touristic past of this former capital of Togo.
“Aného is a city of encounters, because yesterday it was Afro-Brazilian, Portuguese, English, German and French. It is an extraordinary mix, not to mention the Afro-Brazilian architecture and all these Afro-Brazilian families, in particular the families of Souza, Oliveira, Almeida, da-Silveira. The sea has given us unlimited openness and that is why we create fraternity, love and encounters”, explained Me Alexis Aquereburu (President of FIHA and Mayor of the Municipality of Lacs 1).
“Geographically, historically and culturally, Aného symbolizes encounters. Geographically, it is the meeting between rainwater and seawater, but also the meeting of land and water,” said Prof. Essohanam Batchana (Vice-president of the scientific committee of the festival).
A ‘weight participation‘
In his speech, the Brazilian ambassador to Togo welcomed the choice of his country (guest of honor).
“We will do our best to ensure significant participation not only culturally, but also through the presence of historians and anthropologists who will discuss with Togolese specialists”, promised Nei Futuro Bitencourt (Brazilian Ambassador to Togo). .
The FIHA will also serve as a forum for historians, geographers, journalists, writers, researchers, philosophers, artists, gastronomes who are interested in human societies and their long histories.
A carnival of parades, ancestral dances and typical songs is planned with the participation of a Samba school from Rio.
Prizes are also announced for works relating to the theme of the festival of the year in four different categories: Literature, Digital, Music and Arts. FIN
Back from Aného, Bernadette AYIBE
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