The United Nations (UN) World Steelpan Day is annually observed across the globe on 11 August to raise awareness of the cultural and historical significance of the Steelpan, the National Musical Instrument of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), and its link to sustainable development.
- 11 August 2024 marks the observance of the 2nd World Steelpan Day.
Note: The steelpan is a musical instrument indigenous to T&T in the early 1930s and is the only acoustic musical instrument to be invented in the 20th century.
PAN Month:
The Port of Spain (PoS), T&T-based Pan Trinbago Inc. T.C., a cultural organization, and the world governing body for steelpan, has been celebrating Pan Month in August every year since 1992, to commemorate the declaration of Pan the national Musical instrument of T&T in 1992.
- The 2024 Pan Month is being celebrated under the theme “Harmony in Heritage: Celebrating Steelpan’s Global Ascendancy.”
Steelpan as National Instrument of T&T:
i.In 1992, then Prime Minister of T&T declared the steelpan as the national (musical) instrument of T&T during his independence Day address.
ii.In July 2024, the Parliament of T&T debated the National Musical Instrument Bill 2024, seeking to officially designate the Steelpan as T&T’s National Musical Instrument.
iii.The bill gained unanimous support from all the members present in both the House of Representatives (HoR) and the Senate, declaring Steelpan as the National Musical Instrument of T&T.
Background:
i.Іn 2022, thе Т&T gоvеrnmеnt оffісіаllу аррrоасhеd the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) wіth thе рrороѕаl tо dеѕіgnаtе Аuguѕt 11 аѕ Wоrld Ѕtееlраn Dау ѕtаrtіng іn 2023, аnd аnnuаllу thеrеаftеr.
ii.On 24 July 2023, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/77/316, proclaiming the 11 August of every year as World Steelpan Day.
- The draft resolution received co-sponsorship from 84 member states of the UNGA.
iii.The 1st ever World Steelpan Day was observed on 11 August 2023.
Steelpan:
i.Traditionally made from a steel drum or container, steelpan is a definite percussion instrument in the idiophone class.
- It is also known as a pan, steel drum, and sometimes, collectively with other musicians, as a steel band or steel orchestra.
ii.These drums became the main percussion instruments in the annual Trinidadian carnival festivities.
Key Points:
i.In 2019, PoS, the T&T capital, was designated as a UNЕЅСО Creative City of Music “for its creativity through the steelpan as a strategic component for sustainable urban development.”
- PoS joined as the 6th creative city in the Caribbean, with the first 5 being Nassau in the Bahamas; Jacmel, Haiti; Havana, Cuba; San Domingo, Dominican Republic, and Kingston, Jamaica.
ii.The Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) was the 1st steel band, formed to attend the Festival of Britain, the United Kingdom (UK) in June 1951, and were the 1st group to take the steelpan worldwide.
iii.The 1st national steelpan competition (Panorama competition) was held in T&T in 1963.
2024 Events:
World Steelpan Festival 2024:
i.The 1st World Steelpan Festival was held in Trinidad from August 5-11, 2024, in the culmination of World Steelpan Day (11 August 2024).
ii.The festival featured a series of events including art exhibitions, World Steelpan Conference 2024, “Roots to Recognition: Steelpan’s Journey to Global Acclaim,” etc.
iii.On 11 August 2024, World Steelpan Day events were celebrated at the birthplace of the Steelpan, Piccadilly Street in PoS, T&T.
About Trinidad and Tobago (T&T):
Capital– Port of Spain (PoS)
Prime Minister (PM)- Keith Christopher Rowley
Currency– Trinidad & Tobago Dollar
