President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged full support for three major international events scheduled to hold in Nigeria in October and November.
According to him, these events are opportunities to showcase the nation’s rich heritage in culture, arts, tourism and entertainment as well as advancements in media freedom.
Nigeria will be hosting the 2022 UNESCO Global Media, Information Literacy (MIL) Week in Abuja in October.
The country will host the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry in Lagos also in October.
In November, it will host the 2nd Global Association of Literary Festivals Conference in Abeokuta.
President Buhari’s spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, stated on Sunday in Abuja that the president welcomed decisions by organisers of the three separate historic events for Nigeria to host the fiestas.
The organisers are UNESCO, the UN World Tourism Organisation and the Global Association of Literary Festivals.
The president assured all stakeholders and participants of the warmth and hospitality of the people of Nigeria.
On MIL Week, Buhari noted that “it is instructive that Nigeria is attracting positive international attention as a country that promotes media freedom and freedom of expression.’’
According to him, the country recognises the important roles information, literacy and media education play in sustainable development.
On the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism, the president noted the rapid growth of Nigeria’s film, fashion, music, and ICT sectors.
He assured that the increase in international appeal and acceptance of Nigeria’s products would continue to spur government to devote more resources to the sectors.
He recalled the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI), established by his administration to provide single-digit interest rate financing for young Nigerians in fashion, film-making, music and information Technology.
CIFI is managed by the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee.
According to the president, the 100 million dollars re-development of the National Theatre, Lagos, into a world-class Creative Park is also on-going.
The National Theatre complex has been handed over to the CBN and the Bankers Committee.
President Buhari said he trusted that the literary world would find many good things to celebrate about Nigeria when members meet in the historic city of Abeokuta.
Abeokuta is the homeland and birthplace of one of Nigeria’s finest literary icons and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
The president expressed delight to welcome international visitors to Nigeria and urged compatriots to use the period to exhibit the values “that make us a unique, friendly and peace-loving people’’.