Public Affairs Officer, United States Consulate in Lagos, Julie McKay, has said the United States Mission in Nigeria has invested over $1.2 million to help Nigerians preserve their culture.

Speaking at the Festival of Arts and Culture, tagged Culturati 2024, at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Mckay underscored the importance of culture preservation in promoting tourism.

In a statement, yesterday, Julie McKay, said the event was an amazing way to learn about culture, share culture and connect with people. He promised more collaborations, noting that the United States had invested over $1.2m to promote tourism in Lagos. He said: “It is about connecting different cultures, collaborating and learning about them. We absolutely support that, and I am so happy to be here.”

Recall that Lagos Island was agog till the wee hours of Sunday during the Culturati 2024 organised by the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in conjunction with Culturati Africa and other private organisations.

The event, tagged ‘Celebrate Diversity and Unity’, is aimed at promoting tourism, preserving the African culture and showcasing talents in the creative industry to the global community.

Aregbe said the yearly festival was to promote Lagos economic development with a call on youths to embrace their mother tongue and avoid westernisation of Nigerian culture.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, Culturati, Adetola Bakinsola, stated that the high point of this year’s event was the featuring of a community library to promote increased literacy and cultural education among youths.

In his remarks, the Atayero of the Aramoko Kingdom, Oba Olusegun Aderemi, noted that Nigeria is blessed with talents sought after globally; hence, the need for diversification of the nation’s economy from crude oil to creative industries.