At the most basic level, crafts form the foundation of civilisation. Every human culture from ancient China to Babylon, from the Indus valley to Egypt, was built on the basis of crafts and craft skills. Pottery and weaving, building skills, wood-carving and metalwork all led to advances in how we live our lives. Today of course many of these crafts have been replaced by mass manufacturing, yet still we seek out hand-made crafts because they speak to us of our culture, our history and our origins.
This is particularly true in the Western Cape, where the people of our province represent a wide range of diverse cultures - many of them brought to the Cape from distant shores to mix with the traditional and indigenous cultures and crafts of our region. Whether they work with sophisticated equipment and materials, or the most basic of home-made tools, whether they practice their craft in informal settlements or work in well-equipped studios, the artists and artisans of the Western Cape continue to give expression to the essence of who we are as a province and as a people. At the same time, the craft and design sector supports individual entrepreneurs, small and medium size businesses, and provides much-needed employment in our province.
This balance between craft and commerce, between form and function, reflects the heart of iKapa eliHlumayo - the concept embraced by our Provincial Government as the best vehicle for achieving our vision of building the World Class Province which Cares. iKapa eliHlumayo means growing and developing the Cape, through a concentration on our key growth sectors and our competitive advantages.
The Western Cape is already recognised as a major design and innovation centre in Southern Africa and for this reason I am very pleased this evening to officially open the World [piece] Exhibition, Cape craft at its best, alongside Decorex 2003.
There are a number of reasons why this occasion holds such great significance. The most obvious is that this is the first event of this magnitude to be held in the new Cape Town International Convention Centre. In terms of design and craft - the Convention Centre itself gives expression to the creativity of the people of the Western Cape, and the San art motifs which grace its walls speak to the connection between this venue and Western Cape design. With more than 134 conferences already booked - of which 100 are international, it is hard to believe that the official opening is still two weeks away. With international convention delegates alone expected to spend almost R1,3 billion, the impact of the Convention Centre on the Western Cape and our economy will be unprecedented. With R25 billion expected to be added to the national economy over the next ten years, this will not only be a Western Cape asset but one which will benefit South Africa as a whole. We are particularly pleased by the fact that more than 50% of the contracts and business generated by the building and equipping of the Convention Centre have been awarded to empowerment companies and entrepreneurs.
Another aspect of great significance about this evening is that tonight we celebrate the official launch of the Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI) who are responsible for this exhibit tonight. Established by the Western Cape Provincial Government and the Cape Technikon as an organisation to promote, support and uplift Cape design and crafts, the CCDI has already achieved a number of remarkable successes, with more than R700 000 worth of craft sales facilitated through events like the WSSD, the North Sea Jazz Festival, and the Food and Wine Festival at Disneyworld last year. It is in the area of skills development and empowerment though, that the CCDI stand to make its greatest contribution - ensuring World Class craft innovation and design products, whilst at the same time addressing the legacies of our history which have left many of our most talented artists and designers at a disadvantage. The CCDI will play a crucial role in helping our people to get their products ready for the market and in helping them access these markets. I would like to congratulate the CCDI on their launch, and thank every person and institution who has helped bring this important organisation to life.
Successful cultures and civilisations are by their nature in a state of change - they grow, and adapt, and their crafts tend to best reflect this change. The Western Cape has World Class products of which we can truly be proud and which we must take to the world markets. Each authentic, hand-made piece sets us apart as a province and as a culture from the mass-production which has become so commonplace. We must continue to draw on the unique expressions of our diverse cultures to create beauty, to add richness to life, and to grow our World Class Province. This is what the World [piece] Exhibit and the CCDI are all about, is also what our Western Cape Provincial Government is determined to support.
Enquiries: Riaan AucampCell: 083 778 9923
