In a release, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat said the festival will be held under the slogan, ‘Many Cultures, the Essence of Togetherness, the Spirit of the Caribbean’.

It is expected to attract participants from all over the Caribbean, including Haiti , Cuba and the Dominican Republic, the French and Dutch Antilles, as well as from Africa, China, Indonesia and the Netherlands.

The release said the launching ceremony on February 8 at Congress House in Paramaribo, Suriname, was attended by government officials, artistes, cultural representatives, the diplomatic corps and staff of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.

Mr. Walter Sandriman, Minister of Education and Culture, outlined the main activities covering the visual and performing arts, including theatre and drama, art and artists, dance and musical performances. These will showcase indigenous and other Caribbean genre, culinary skills and symposia, involving Caribbean writers and poets, policy makers and cultural activists.

Among the issues that will be addressed are the future of CARIFESTA and the link between cultural products and Caribbean economic development, the release said.

Dr. Edward Greene, Assistant CARICOM Secretary General, Human and Social Development, indicated how important CARIFESTA is to developing a viable Caribbean culture within the Caribbean Single Market and Economy.

He noted the prominence of the Caribbean on the world's cultural stage. Among the illustrations are Bob Marley and the Reggae, three Nobel prize winners in 20 years - Sir Arthur Lewis (Economics), Derek Walcott (Literature) and Vidia Niapaul, (Literature).

Another is the steel band, which originated in Trinidad and Tobago, as the only musical instrument to have been invented in the 20th Century, the release said.

The main activities of CARIFESTA VIII will take place in the centre of the Suriname capital, Paramaribo, in an area that includes many historic buildings with unique architectural designs and which have been designated by the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) as World Heritage sites.

The release said in his address, Suriname President Ronald Venetiaan referred to this splendid atmosphere, together with the multi-culturalism that makes Suriname such an appropriate venue for CARIFESTA, especially at a time when the world is plagued by divisiveness and forces of destruction.

He said "CARIFESTA VIII can demonstrate to the world a vibrant cohesive Caribbean moulded by cultural variation that is rich in its diversity and outstanding in quality".

During the ceremony, the President also launched the website http://www.carifesta8.org.

The release said the launching ceremony was chaired by Mr. Sergio Belfor, CARICOM Youth Ambassador from Suriname and alternate Dean of the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors Corps.