The significance of the traditions, rituals and ceremonies of the various tribes of Kenya; and their relevance today.
Kenya has at least 42 different ethnic groups, each with its own unique values, skills, language and cultural practices. We are looking at different ways of preserving these cultures and to ensure that altruistic and principled traditions and customs complement contemporary life cultures for a more cohesive and vibrant society.
The aim of the conference was to understand the relevance of ancient African cultures in todays world, a well as to learn how traditional practices can be shared and cultural similarities cherished.
The 1st ICCS Kenya Conference was held in Nairobi and had a total of 70 participants, coming from 4 major towns, representing more than 8 Cultures of Kenya. The participants included various University Students and Professors, and Sympathisers of Culture from the Informal sector.
The venue of the conference, Deendayal Bhavan Hall, with the traditional Kenya attire decoration, provided an idyllic setting for the theme of the conference. The delicious, and relative mild food, focused on vegetarian Kenyan cuisine, and the warmth of the organising and local volunteers’ team was really appreciated by all.
The first key note address was given by Dr. David G Mailu. This speech was about the significance and relevance of the African Culture. The highlight included, how African Science is labelled as witchcraft. The need to promote and practice these herbal practices for the betterment of living, was emphasised with examples of medical cases.
The second key note address was by Dr. Ram Vaidya. This speech was based on, ‘Historical Perspectives of the World Gatherings of Elders, on Cultures (Background, previous Conferences, key Events and Highlights on key Achievements). The journey of ICCS in the world so far, was highlighted. Unity in Diversity, and We all are interconnected with each other, was pointed out.
The open discussion session was divided into 2 parts. The first part ‘Do we still need Our Indigenous Cultures Today,’ was facilitated by Mr. Sunil Shah. The second part, ‘What do we do to Safeguard Indigenous Cultures,’ was facilitated by Mr. Piyush Shah
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The concluding speech was given by Mr. Divyesh Parmar. The need to take action now was highlighted to safeguard our cultures.