Even as the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) rolled out a ‘real’ programme of activities for Vincymas 2022, there is still a plan to stage a representation of the annual Carnival in the Metaverse.
This indication has come from Minister of Culture Carlos James who, will addressing a CDC press conference last Tuesday, said that Vincymas in the Metaverse was “meant to be an additional platform for creatives to earn an income,” and that it “will not replace the physical enjoyment of Carnival.”
The Minister admitted that since his earlier announcement regarding Carnival in the Metaverse, there has been some misunderstanding surrounding the conversation.
And towards addressing these concerns, James said local artist Calvert Jones will be appointed as an advisor to both the ministry and the Carnival Development Corporation, to inform on an approach to embark on developing a platform to facilitate exporting St Vincent and the Grenadines’ culture, Vincymas and other aspects, globally through the technology using the Metaverse.
James says: “It is not to replace our existing traditions and existing Vincymas, but to have an additional platform where our creatives can earn an income by exporting their talent around the world.”
He says organisations like the Organization of American States (OAS), Meta ( which is owned by Facebook), a telecommunications company headquartered regionally, as well as persons in the diaspora in Canada, North America and Europe and locally in the Caribbean, have said St Vincent is on the edge leading the way in this, and this country is encouraged by this support has it moves to become the first country to stage Carnival on the Metaverse.
