Ouagadougou - Burkina Faso — Senegalese film director, Mr. Moussa Touré won the ECOWAS Special Prize for promoting Regional Integration at the just-ended 23rd Edition of the Ouagadougou Pan-African Cinema and Television Festival (FESPACO), for his film entitled "La Pirogue."

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo presented the US$10,000 prize money and a trophy to Mr. Touré at the closing ceremony of the festival on 2nd March 2013, which was attended by the President of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Blaise Compaoré. The ECOWAS Chief congratulated the prize winner for his creativity and achievement.

Before presenting the prize, President Ouédraogo, accompanied by his wife, as well as the ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Gender Dr. Adrienne Diop, and the Director of Culture, Prof. Abdoulaye Maga, visited various stands including that of ECOWAS at the biennial African Cinema festival. The occasion provided an opportunity for more sensitization on the organization's programmes and activities as well as on the ECOWAS Vision 2020, challenges and general outlook of the Commission and other Community institutions.

Visitors to the ECOWAS stand included the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Beyon Luc Adolphe Tiao, the Director of FESPACO, Mr. Michel Ouédraogo, and other high-ranking personalities. Many of the visitors including pupils and students, as well as representatives of professional organizations obtained information on ECOWAS and participated in a question and answer game, winning prizes such as branded caps, T-shirts and diaries.