Nigeria, Belgium set for cultural exchange program

One of the cultural programmes Nigerians will experience this year is a major cultural exchange between the National Council for Arts and Culture and Belgium as both are set to make it a big event.

The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Daniel Dorgent, who solicited the collaboration of the NCAC director-general, Otunba Segun Runsewe, during a visit to the cultural headquarters of the council in Abuja said Nigeria is a country with great potentialities which they stand to benefit from, adding that the cultural exchange project could involve Nigerians and Africans in the diaspora.

The envoy stated that there is the need to come together and work on projects that will be of mutual benefit to both nations via presentation of fashion exhibitions, music and dance, arts and crafts, cultural festivals, among other noble initiatives.

On his part, Otunba Runsewe promised to provide the necessary logistics like venue, publicity and security to ensure a successful outing.

Runsewe observed that Nigeria and Belgium have a long relationship in sports while sharing mutually beneficial economic ties with no less than 40 Belgiam companies doing extremely well in Nigeria.

According to the NCAC boss, “As far back as 1984, over 11 Nigerian professional footballers plied their trade in the Belgian league. You will recall also that in the last Olympic, Nigeria and Belgium played the volleyball final.”

“As a body, we have collaborated with Iran, Bangladesh and China. So for your exhibition, we will put in our best to ensure that the program meets international standards.”

The meeting ended with the exchange of promotional materials between the two nations.