THIS YEAR’S multicultural Rainbow Festival will be held only in the capital this Sunday due to the dire economic difficulties faced by the organisers.
The festival provides the largest anti-racist multicultural programme on the island and is organised by migrant support group KISA in cooperation with migrant and refugee groups, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot bicommunal groups, human rights organisations and cultural groups.
According to a KISA press release, due to “serious economic problems” faced by the NGO, the festival, now in its 14th year, will be held only in Nicosia at the Municipal Park (CYTA) this Sunday from 11am to 5pm.
In previous years, the NGO also ran the festival celebrating multiculturalism in the port city of Limassol, which was widely received by locals who attended in greater numbers than permanent residents of the capital.
However, KISA’s decision last year to move the festival from Limassol to Larnaca to coincide with an anti-migrant march prompted much criticism of the NGO, following the outbreak of violence between protestors and festival goers.
This year’s festival motto is: “Victims of the same crisis – Fight Injustice, not Migrants”.
The 14th Rainbow Festival focuses once again on the need to deal with problems emanating from the continuing economic crisis that plagues Cyprus and the whole world, “with and not against migrants, who are one of the most vulnerable victims of the crisis”.
The NGO said efforts to target migrants as the main “culprits” of the economic crisis, was humiliating, discriminatory and an affront to their decency as human beings.
“By making them into scapegoats by extreme right wing and nationalist groups as well as politicians and part of the media, (this) does not tackle either the crisis or its problems. On the contrary, and as history has shown time and again, discrimination and racism against migrants and other vulnerable groups strike at the heart of society itself and its institutions, at democracy and human rights, for the restoration of which we all preach we are fighting for,” said the announcement.
The aim of the festival is to provide a meeting place of cultures and pass on the message against racism and discrimination and in favour of mutual respect between people and cultures.
As always, the festival includes: music, dancing by various groups, exhibitions and stands, a children’s corner, a bazaar and food from various countries.
The event is being sponsored by the Cyprus Youth Board and the Interior Ministry. Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou will address the event. Entrance is free.
