00:00The story dramatizes a rare encounter between Time, who is wary from carrying the weight of the past,
00:07and Twine, who is fiercely committed to preserving it.
00:11This heritage festival for our visitors who are among us this evening is meant to showcase Tobago's rich cultural legacy,
00:20is meant to teach us all of how we lived in the past,
00:24is meant to remind us that without regard for how modern we get, how advanced technology gets,
00:32that there was a time that this is how we lived,
00:37and that those times actually are the bedrock, the foundation of the successful society that we have today.
00:45The gala opening took place at the Shaw Park Complex, and this year is being held at a cost of $4.9 million.
00:52Chief Secretary Farley Acosta, in his address to those gathered, spoke of today's population building on the backs of their ancestors.
01:01This festival, as we have it every single year, provides opportunities for us to keep looking over our shoulder,
01:09having an appreciation for what we have achieved over the years,
01:13and more than that, celebrating the legacies of those pasts,
01:17while building on those legacies, standing on the shoulders of our ancestors,
01:22and ensuring that we build a successful society that will ultimately become the greatest winter island on the planet.
01:29CEO of the Tobago Festival's Commission Limited, Kern Cowan, said,
01:34This year's Heritage Festival theme, Time Longer Than Twine, is more than just a proverb.
01:40It's a testament to our resilience, our history, and the spirit that continues to define us.
01:47Throughout the month, across every village and stage,
01:51you will find events that do more than entertain, they connect.
01:55From the rhythm of our ancestors to the creativity of new generation,
02:03this festival is a celebration of who we are.
02:07Our young people are not just future, they are the living flame of our culture,
02:13carrying forward the songs, the stories, and the spirit of Tobago.
02:18The festival goes through July and ends on August 1st, with a street procession.
02:25Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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