The World Steelpan Festival begins today with the Art Exhibition Series, which runs until August 11.

The festival, hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts in partnership with Pan Trinbago, is one of several events being held for Pan Month in August.

Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore is excited for the festival and the start of Pan Month 2024.

In a phone interview, she said, “It is really an exciting moment for us in TT and, by extension, the entire steelpan diaspora.”

She said the recognition of pan as the national instrument could not come at a better time.

Pan was unofficially recognised as the national instrument when former Prime Minister Patrick Manning declared it as such. However, the necessary legislative steps had not been taken to address this.

This National Musical Instrument Bill was laid in June and passed in both the lower and upper houses, establishing pan as the national instrument.

The organisation was looking forward to massive celebrations as the month moves along, she added. Many of its events draw thousands of people to them, like the Pan and Powder parade through Port of Spain.

The month’s activities will also celebrate the “pan-cestors” – those who paved the way for what exists today, she said.

The country will also celebrate World Steelpan Day (August 11) for a second year. The UN-declared day augurs well not only for the fraternity but also for the country’s tourism product, Ramsey-Moore said.

“It also augurs well for our several communities here in TT,” Ramsey-Moore said.

A major feature of the festival is the World Steelpan Conference being held on August 9 at Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, which is expected to bring global pan enthusiasts together.

This, she believes, will help further the organisation's plans for greater globalisation of the instrument.

Asked if the UN declaration has led to more global interest, Ramsey-Moore said, “What we have recognised is that the stakeholders are all onboard at this time.”

She said the line ministry – Tourism, Culture and the Arts – the Ministry of Trade and Industry, through its steering committee established to take an in-depth look at the manufacturing sector, and the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs were all playing important roles in pan’s further growth, development and globalisation.

[caption id="attachment_1100497" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore says the World Steelpan Festival is an exciting moment for TT and the entire steelpan diaspora. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]

She said one of the conversations scheduled to take place at the conference is on cultural diplomacy.

“We have people from Foreign Affairs who will be sitting on that committee. We also have the discussion already with Foreign Affairs with having missions have, at least, an ensemble within their space so that even when bands travel, we don’t have to take the instruments up with us.

“We already have instruments there that can be used in terms of the promotion and m