Understanding the Cultural Significance of Festivals and Celebrations

Mutoni Uwase N.

Faculty of Business and Management Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT

Festivals and celebrations are universal human practices that express, preserve, and reinvent cultural identities across time and space. This paper examines the historical evolution, typological diversity, symbolic elements, and societal functions of festivals. Drawing on interdisciplinary approaches, the study presents a comprehensive analysis of festivals as manifestations of intangible cultural heritage. It examines how festivals foster social cohesion, influence identity construction, and adapt to political, economic, and global transformations. Particular attention is paid to their psychological, symbolic, and economic impact on communities, and how globalization reshapes their authenticity and meaning. Through case studies from various global contexts, the research illuminates the resilience and transformation of festivals as powerful cultural expressions, reflecting broader dynamics in contemporary society.

Keywords: Festivals, Cultural Heritage, Social Cohesion, Globalization, Symbolism, Identity, Ritual.

CITE AS: Mutoni Uwase N. (2025). Understanding the Cultural Significance of Festivals and Celebrations. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 5(2):78-83.  https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJRE/2025/527883