Premier Alan Winde was delighted and honoured to be invited to the launch of the “Journey to Jazz” festival in the Karoo town of Prince Albert yesterday.
Against the backdrop of a performance by a jazz band made up of young community members, the Premier told guests at the Prince Albert Community Trust’s (PACT) offices: “If you want some hope, come to Prince Albert.” He added: “This community and specifically the trust is creating opportunities for local residents, which is something we aspire to see all over our province.”
The trust is a non-profit organisation that offers a host of youth development initiatives.
Premier Winde thanked the organisers of the festival for making it possible. The inaugural “Journey to Jazz” will be held next May in the town, bringing with it not just the mellifluous sounds of jazz, but also tourists and a boost to the local economy. “This is real hope. We need to project this to the rest of the Western Cape and country,” he stressed.
The Premier added: “We need to enable the artist in all of us to come out to make a meaningful difference and that is what this community and PACT is doing.”
Anroux Marais, Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport said: “We have seen over the past few years that music has the power to bring hope and a sense of community and healing to people. This festival will not only bring more economic activity to Prince Albert but also hope to the youth of the area.”
Executive trustee of PACT, Ingrid Wolfaardt, said: “We are committed to nourishing a discerning youth who are encultured with values such as work ethic, creative excellence, and tolerance, and have developed a robust job creation project aligned with the festival.”
