The Carnival Calabar Commission says delegates from 35 countries and 20 Nigerian States will be participating in this year’s Calabar carnival.
The commission’s Chairman, Mr Gabe Onah, told newsmen that participants were expected from Vietnam, Bangladesh, Italy, Brazil, Malawi, Kenya and many others.
Onah said that delegates from other countries would actively participate in the carnival scheduled to take place between December 1 and 30, through various performances and other activities.
He said: “We will have over 20 states within the country showcasing their culture in various ways in a street procession by December 26.
“More of Nigeria’s cultural and tourism content will be showcased to these international delegates at the carnival, because we want to encourage in-bound tourism.
“In order to create more excitement during the carnival, the governor has established 10 performance centres to engage a good number of people; this has always been his wish.”
Onah assured local and International tourists of safety of lives and property during the carnival, adding that adequate security system was already put in place.
He said that during the carnival in December every year, crime was usually low in the state as people were usually in celebration moods.
“It is a platform for the youths to engage themselves. So, they are often too busy to engage in frivolous ventures.
“In providing security, we work closely with the navy, army, police and other para-military bodies , even the state security services, he said.”
The commission chairman said that it was Governor Ben Ayade that personally gave the theme of this year’s carnival as “Humanity”.
Onah said that the theme was meant to reflect on and address the problem of man’s inhumanity to his fellow men in the society.