Page 46 - Discover Curacao

PERCY PINEDO

“ I’ve been a fan of American jazz singer Randy Crawford for years. I’ve
always wanted to see her perform live, but missed her at various festivals. In
2012, she came to the island for the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival. I got
to accompany her from start to finish, from the dressing room to the stage.
Seeing her perform here in Curaçao, on our home turf, just was amazing -
an experience I’ll never forget. The atmosphere at the Curaçao North Sea
Jazz Festival is very relaxed. There’s a real feeling of togetherness and the
multicultural character of Curaçao truly comes out. On nights like that, I get
to practice all my languages: Dutch, Spanish and plenty of Papiamentu, of
course. More than 50 nationalities come together on the island. You’ll see
it when you walk through the city center, which is on the UNESCO World
Heritage list. Handelskade, with its colorful houses, has such a long history
- Dutch architecture meets the warmth of Curaçao. I feel proud every time
I see it. Opposite Handelskade is Rif Fort, where you’ll find The Cinemas.
That’s where we organize a local edition of the International Film Festival
Rotterdam every year. You can see Caribbean productions and other films
that might not normally make it to our screens. It’s the only festival of its
kind in the region. One thing I’ll never forget is screening Yo Tambien -
about a man with Down Syndrome trying to get by - for a group of disabled
islanders. The cinema was packed. An unforgettable moment.
”
FESTIVAL ORGANISER, BORN AND RAISED ON CURAÇAO