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Read Khosro Berahmandi’s message for this 26th edition!
As the tradition wants, you can read below the message from the artistic direction to announce the Festival Accès Asie 26th edition!
Fighting back with art!
“Every morning we are born again.
What we do today is what matters most. ”
― Buddha
Dear Accès Asie friends, colleagues, supporters, and, especially, artists of the 2021 edition of the Festival!
It is with pride and joy that I write these words, despite the heartbreaking and confusing time in which our human society is living, with all the harsh challenges imposed on us by the pandemic.
For us at Festival Accès Asie, it is our second consecutive year that we are moving our Festival online. Last year, we were among the first artistic and cultural organizations to hold its events in the digital world. Hopefully, this year, Festival Accès Asie will be among the last art organizations that have to make that shift.
We also had to confront other challenges that tragically hit our communities across the country. A government-funded report has revealed that anti-Asian racist incidents increased five times between March 10 2020 and the end of February 2021. We condemn these heinous acts and stand with those affected. Together we will achieve!
Our main goal since day one has been to reach beyond the barriers and crises that COVID-19 has brought upon us. We are proud that despite these harsh circumstances, we have managed to get through the past 12 months. We didn’t only shift digitally for our festival programming; we also initiated a national movement across the country by creating an Asian Heritage Month National Symposium. Through this platform, Asian Canadian artists and arts organizations were able to express the concerns of many different Asian communities. The work of the National Symposium is ongoing through the different working groups created by its participants.
Every morning we are born again and every morning we begin anew our fight back through our art. This has been our history for the past 26 years.
In solidarity with all Asian arts organizations and hand in hand with the Board of Directors of Festival Accès Asie and its undaunted team, I wish every one of you a wonderful Asian Heritage Month and a marvelous Festival.
KHOSRO BERAHMANDI — ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
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