The Colourful Adire International Carnival in Austria Showcased the Best of Nigeria to the World
After a three-year break, the Adire International Carnival returned on Saturday in Vienna, Austria, to showcase and celebrate the beauty of the Nigerian and Austrian culture.
The event saw participants dress in black and yellow adire materials, and gathered beside the Nigerian Embassy, excitedly waving the Nigerian and Austrian flags.
The parade started with a colourful fanfare led by drummers and musicians who entertained participants with African music..
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Nigerians from communities like Salzburg, Graz, Karten and Linz graced the occasion as well as visitors from Brazil, Paraguay, Bangladesh and Macedonia, Ireland, UK, and USA,
Participants paraded through Rennweg Street, Schwarzenberg Square and the Vienna Ring Road in the city centre of Vienna, and ended at Hoffburg in front of the Welt Museum, Vienna.
The annual Adire International Carnival is arguably the biggest cultural gathering of Nigerians outside Nigeria. The Adire Street Party, which is part of the Nigerian in Diaspora Cultural Festival, tagged “Nigerian Cultural Festival”, is usually celebrated with the Nigeria-Austria Business Forum in Austria.
The objective of this event is to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria, promote its tourism potentials and to further foster the good relationship between Nigeria and the host country, Austria.
Other events held included: Nigeria-Austria Business Forum and the Nigeria Cultural Exhibition, “Mask and Masquerade.”
The cultural event started with the Nigerian Mask and Masquerade exhibition at the Welt Museum Wien, Austria. The opening ceremony featured a drum and cultural display outside the museum.
The exhibition was declared open by His Excellency Ambassador Dr Suleiman Dauda Umar, the Nigerian Ambassador to Austria and Slovak, after a welcome address by the Director of the Welt Museum, Wien, Dr Jonathan Fine.
The Royal Father of the Day was Oba (Professor) Adeyemi Obalanlege, the Olota of Ota Aworiland, Ogun State. Other special guests included former president of NACCIMA, Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson, the Iyalode of Yorubaland; Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Honourable Abike Dabiri Erewa; Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Oluwatoyin Taiwo; Dr Dayo Olomu from the United Kingdom; Film Director/Producer, Chief Tunde Kelani; Nollywood actors, Bolaji Amusan and Lateef Oladimeji, amongt others.
The Adire International Carnival featured purely stage performance by different Nigerian cultural groups and others including Bangladesh Cultural Group, Macedonia Group, Paraguay Group, and an acrobatic show by the Kenya Flex Group.