One of the aims of the Festival is to promote the continuity of diverse, grassroots, community-based traditions of Americans and people of other countries. To do this, the Festival relies upon several methods that demonstrate the value of such cultural traditions. First, the Smithsonian invites members of regional, ethnic, and occupational communities to illustrate their artistry, skill, and knowledge at the Festival on the National Mall. The symbolic value of the setting and the invitation by the national museum help convey the prestige accorded to the tradition and its practitioners. Second, we place Festival participants in the positions of teachers, demonstrators, and exemplars of the tradition. Providing a stage for participants to address their fellow countrymen or citizens of the world in a dignified way on the salient issues bearing on their cultural survival not only helps visitors learn directly about the culture but also engenders a profound respect for it.