Organisers of the annual Nollywood Cultural Heritage Festival say plans are underway to stage the cultural fiesta in Belgium and other cities in Europe.
Chief Agility Onwurah, founder of the prestigious festival, stated this when he led his team on a courtesy visit to Belgian Embassy on Monday in Abuja. According to him, the Nollywood Cultural Heritage Festival stakeholders are working to strengthen ties with international partners to showcase Nigerian cultural heritage globally.
He said the festival, scheduled to hold from Oct 2 to 12, aims to position Nigeria as a culture, tourism and film destination, leveraging Nollywood’s potential for global recognition. Onwurah said the festival will feature a tour of major cities in Europe, including Brussels, with the aim of promoting cultural exchange, artistic exposure, and international goodwill.
“Our team will attend cultural performances, visit historical landmarks, interact with local communities, and experience the rich heritage and traditions of each destination. “The festival seeks to bridge cultures and inspire future storytelling and key stakeholders, including those from the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and other industry leaders, are participating in this initiative.
“It will offer stakeholders connections with international filmmakers and industry professionals, fostering collaboration and opportunities for growth,” he said. Onwurah said the Europe trip will be led by the National President of AGN, Dr Emeka Rollas, among other stakeholders.
In his remarks, Pieter Leenknegt, Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, who warmly welcomed the initiative, reiterated his county’s commitment to deepening cultural diplomacy with Nigeria through film and culture. He lauded the initiative and reiterated his commitment to work with the organisers in actualising their plans.
Other members of the delegation on the visit to the to the embassy included Abubakar Yakubu, National Secretary of AGN and Linda Ekezie, Project Manager for the Europe Tour. Others included Ifeoma Okeke-Ozude, Chief of Staff to President of AGN and Grace Amah, veteran Nollywood actor.