Cultural District Award officially launched in Seychelles

Published on : Friday, November 29, 2013

Seychelles-Tourism-BoardSeychelles has officially launched its first edition of Cultural District Award. It was in the decor of the Theatre des Palmes Palme at Mont Fleuri that the Cultural District Award was officially launched by Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture. The stated vision by the Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and Culture is to position culture at the heart of the island’s sustainable development.

Present at this historic launch were Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, Minister Idith Alexander Members of the Seychelles National Assembly and by District Administrators.

Both Designated Minister Vincent Meriton and Minister Idith Alexander also took to the podium to address the gathered dignitaries. Both Ministers expressed their complete support for the Cultural District Award.

This vision of the Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and Culture is published in the cultural strategic development plan 2011- 2015. The official launching of Cultural District Award falls within that cultural strategic development plan. In his speech Alain St.Ange, Minister for Tourism and Culture said that it is important that this project gets up and running.

“Cultural District Award goes beyond this vision of putting culture at the heart of national sustainable development. It positions culture at the heart of sustainable development in all districts to encourage the youths and elderly to actively participate in artistic and cultural activities’’ Minister Alain St.Ange said.

Initiated by the Culture Department in close collaboration with Ministry responsible for Community Development, Social Affairs and Sports and all districts in the country, the Cultural District Award was also presented by Minister St.Ange as part of this year’s national campaign “striving for Seychelles’’

“It is true that there are many ways of consolidating our efforts to strive for our country. As a nation we should not forget our culture, our cultural heritage. We should work hard to protect, promote and consolidate it as declared in the Seychelles Cultural policy.’’

Cultural District Award is a competition within districts. Minister St.Ange said that this award should not be seen only as a competition within districts because it defeats its core objective.

“Cultural District Award’s main objective is to give all Seychellois in all districts on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue the scope to contribute and participate in the preservation of their cultural heritage and ensure that new projects are being conceived to bring development in their respective districts beneficial to their communities’’

The Cultural District Award also takes into account its commercial spectrum.

“Cultural District Award offers the opportunity for all districts to join forces, share ideas and be an eye opener of different ways communities can contribute to the development of their districts, both on a cultural and commercial spectrum. In the commercial arena, Cultural District Award does not simply implies short term project that will bring revenue, but one that will continuously grow and bring long term investment. A business that will attract more tourists to visit the districts and bring added value to the community’’ Minister Alain St.Ange said.

The Ministry of Tourism and Culture drafted a Cultural District Award booklet giving indepth information about this award. Samples of the booklet were presented to Minister Vincent Meriton in his capacity as the Minister responsible for Community Development.

The official launching of Cultural District Award culminated into the unveiling of the award’s logo designed by Urny Mathiot from the Ministry’s DEpartment of Culture. The logo depicts the four categories of the competition: These are buildings and National heritage, Artistic heritage, people living heritage and traditional games and performances.

In November 2014, a Cultural District Award panel of judges will present awards to districts enrolled in the competition and excelling in the four categories detailed in the booklet. An overall award will also be given for the overall best. Application forms for the Cultural Districts Award are now available in all district administration offices on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

Different Cultural based performances followed the official part of the evening.

Source:- Seychelles Tourism Board

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