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Festival Eritrea- A platform of Knowledge Preservation and Production By : - Simon Woldemichael This year, the national festival of  Eritrea marks  a  significant milestone, celebrating the  50th anniversary of  the  Bologna Festival. What initially emerged as a modest initiative by students and workers who had migrated to Europe during Ethiopian colonization  has now blossomed into a revered national institution and tradition. It has transcended its origins as a platform for discussing the liberation  struggle  to become a  Grand  National rally  where Eritrean culture and history are exuberantly celebrated. The annual national  festival  of Eritrea is not just a gathering but a stage where Eritreans come together to interact, celebrate  the cultural richness  of Eritrea, demonstrate national unity, and, most importantly, preserve and reproduce indigenous knowledge, enlightening us  about our  rich cultural heritage. Eritrean national festival has, in  many ways, helped preserve and develop various Indigenous cultural forms and provided the occasion for Eritreans,  including the diaspora community, to meet, share, and celebrate their cultural heritage. The festival has become a national tradition of sharing and passing cultural knowledge  from generation to   generation. The Eritrean  indigenous  or traditional knowledge system is cumulative, representing the  experience of generations and   surviving  the test of time. It is widely shared, acknowledged, and  accepted knowledge among  the  people. Eritrea’s   nine   ethnic groups have developed sophisticated knowledge  that has been created endogenously. Eritrean Indigenous knowledge touches a wide variety of fields, including but not limited to agriculture, medicine, human and animal health, astronomy, forestry, fishery, sustainable use of natural resources and  the  environment, law, spirituality,  arts and culture, food and beverage, etc. Besides that, many skills are developed through the wisdom and experience of successive generations. The annual national festival not only encourages  the preservation of the best in Eritrean culture, but it also serves to re-establish much that is in danger of being lost. In particular, emphasis should be given to the need for re-production and re- introduction  of traditional  music, food and beverage, oral tradition, outfits, and so on for the best taste of modern Eritrean society. The diverse cultural presentations help visitors, particularly the  young, visit the distant past and recapture some of Eritrean society’s old and original artistic forms. The festival has played a  significant  role in preserving and reviving traditional arts and culture, encouraging new forms of cultural activities, and creating greater awareness of cultural richness. More importantly, it fosters a greater sense of national unity, bringing  us all together  as one Eritrean community. The annual festival of Eritrea has emerged as a crucial platform for perpetuating Eritrean arts and culture. It has evolved into a robust entity that fosters cultural sharing and learning, particularly  among the youth, thereby  enhancing  the appreciation and knowledge of the people. The festival plays a pivotal role in the resurgence or renaissance of culture, preserving and reviving traditional arts  and  culture. It also addresses the challenge of protecting intellectual and cultural property  while  embracing the dynamism of modernity. As a venue for cultural sharing and interaction, the Festival 2024 has   arranged  presentations of research papers on many topics. Mohammed Said   Osman  has presented a well-researched paper on the oral tradition of Eritrea. Author and poet Efriem Habtetsion have explained  the meaning  and nature of poetry with a particular reference to oral poetry. Author and poet Girmay Abraham also gave a  presentation on  stories. Mr. Kflom Mickael has given an in-depth explanation  of the role of  festivals in  nation-building. Veteran freedom fighter and author Solomon  Dirar  also  presented a paper on an assessment  of the festival Bologna, while Dr. Halima Mohammed  offered the role of women  in  festivals. Alongside the  presentations, every  region presented oral  traditions  from respective regions. All  these endeavors would collectively contribute  to the rejuvenation  of Eritrean art and culture and ensure its continuity and strength. The annual national festival has  become  a   learning space where visitors can increase their cultural knowledge. Eritrea’s annual festival 2024 encompasses a  variety of  activities such as pavilions of  the six regions exhibiting  traditional  and modern dancing, painting, sculpture, film, traditional  way of life, concerts, oral tradition, literature, seminars, book fair, and many more. Of course, visitors eventually arrived at the expo driven by different motivations.   Some would come out of the desire to seek new and different experiences. Others would come to interact and enhance family togetherness. Some people can come with the exclusive purpose  of observing  events that have some aspect of enjoyment. Some would also come driven to gain knowledge and expand their intellectual horizon. Therefore, activities such  as  conferences, seminars, and training workshops should be emphasized, which could add to competency. Hitherto, the Eritrean national festival has immensely contributed to the country’s knowledge system. Celebrating and integrating Eritrean indigenous knowledge is a big plus to the country’s  development.  It would help to  fix and broaden the mental map and enrich the existing knowledge. It has become apparent that successful worldwide modernization   strategies worked closely with local knowledge.  And it is for this reason that the Eritrean national festival is widening  the avenue  for  the  celebration of indigenous knowledge until it has to be taken seriously as an alternative knowledge to  the  development and modernization  process of the country.