Igbo Israel International Music and Film Festival plus Book Fair 2012.

The Igbo Israel International Music and Film Festival plus Book Fair- 2012
Outline-

Our Goals: To bring Igbo, Jewish, and Africans, Caribbeans, Europeans, and Americans of African extraction who may be of Igbo ancestry together, in a massive music, and film festival, plus book fair which is to be held in 2012 in Igbo land. And to use the opportunity to get enough Igbo, Jewish, and Africans, Caribbeans, Europeans, and Americans who are of African extraction, and who feel kinship with the Igbos together, to brainstorm, and find lasting solutions to Igbo problems.

Prospective Participants: The Igbo individuals/organizations that that we want to work with as direct participants/artistes/writers are those that have used and or want to use their music/films/writings to contribute positively to Igbo culture. We have in mind the individuals/organizations that have portrayed Igbo culture in good light, and or want to do so.

What we will do at the Fiesta: Musicians from all the participating communities will have the opportunity to perform. We will premiere a few Igbo films that portray authentic expressions of Igbo culture at the fiesta, and set in motion the making of the Igbo film. The Igbo film will present Igbo history with the greatest epochs in Igbo history as highlights: migration from Israel; settlement in West Africa (Igbo land), the trans Atlantic slave trade, colonialism, and the Biafran war. We aim to use the Fiesta as the location and the opportunity to begin work on this project with the Igbo moguls of Nollywood and with the film and television moguls from the visiting communities who will be present at the Fiesta.

The Jews will be at the fiesta with their music, films and books because they are our kinsmen, and women. They are our umu nne whom we got disconnected from, just as the Ikwerre, the Agbor, the Ukwuani and some other Igbos are getting disconnected from us. Also as the Igbos have so much to learn from the experience of the Jews, the Igbos will not only have so any works that portray Jewish culture at their disposal, but will also have so many Jews to interact, and exchange ideas with at the Fiesta.

Africans, Caribbeans, Europeans, and Americans of African extraction who are or feel that they descended from ndi Igbo will also be at the Fiesta with their music, films and books, because really there are millions of persons who have genetic connections to ndi Igbo among them. And it is our duty to reconnect with them, and aid them in their search for home. Also as the Igbos have so much to learn from the experience of the members of the above-mentioned communities, the Igbos will not only have so any works that portray their culture at their disposal, but will also have so many members of these communities to interact, and exchange ideas with at the Fiesta.

What We Want The Festival To Showcase?
Egwu Igbo (Igbo music), in Igbo, English and the Hebrew languages, by professional Igbo artistes, and music by professional Jewish artistes, and artistes of African extraction from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas, who are or may be of Igbo extraction.

Igbo and Hebrew music by non professionals, such as the various mmonwu groups, the umu nwoke, umuada, and umu nwanyi dance groups, etc.

Films of Igbo-centric nature. Jewish historical films, and films of the same genre from the stables of film-makers of Caribbeans, Europeans, and Americans who are of African extraction.

Typical Igbo books of history and literature. Jewish history and literature. Literature from the world of Africans, Caribbeans, Europeans, and Americans who are of African extraction, and who are or may be of Igbo extraction.

Where We Want The Festival To Hold?
We want the festival to hold in the six Nigerian state capitals that are in Igboland: Enugu, Awka, Asaba, Owerri, Umuahia, and Abakaliki, for a start. We will like the festival to be a 12 days to 2 weeks affair. In this case each of the cities will host the festival for a period of 2 days.

Potential Partner Organizations:
Igbo State Governments
Igbo Local Government Authorities
Igbo clans through the ‘town unions’
Igbo socio-cultural organizations
Corporate organizations based in Igbo- land
Tertiary Institutions based in Igbo- land
Igbo business moguls
Jewish organizations
Jewish individuals
African, Caribbean, European, and American individuals and organizations, that are of African extraction who are or may be Igbo descendants.

What We Want To Achieve: We want to put the Igbos on the radar again. We want to rekindle Igbo interest and confidence in Igbo culture again. To look at how to empower Igbo artistes so that they can bring out works that will be nourishing for the Igbo mind, body and soul. Works that will help to nurture an environment that can help the Igbo mind to grasp the intricacies of modern science and technology. We want to use the occasion to reunite massively with our long-lost brethren, and thus get them to join us in rebuilding the Igbo people, and land. We want to bring thousands of potential tourists to Igbo land; to instigate local, and international tourism, and thus empower some Igbos economically. We want peoples who are related to ndi Igbo to come to Igboland, see that the land and people are good, invest, and benefit from the riches of the land.

We want to get enough Igbo-centric scholars, business tycoons, technocrats, etc, together, to gather with, and work together with Jewish and African, Caribbean, European, and American scholars, that are of African extraction who are or may be Igbo descendants, to find solutions to critical Igbo problems.

Lastly we want to use this chance to discuss terms and conditions of creating permanent relationships and associations with members of all the visiting communities.