Festival Kreol 2013 rallied Political leaders and Industry Bodies

Published on : Friday, November 8, 2013

This year’s Festival Kreol in the Seychelles was instrumental in rallying political leaders in the region to display the existing political will for the world at large to see. The display of political will by the Creole Community of Nations is essential to unite the creole population and to help build promote the Creole identity through out the world of creoles.
The organisers of the 2013 Festival Kreol have said that they were thankful to Mauritius, La Reunion and Rodrigues for being represented at the 2013 edition of the annual Festival Kreol at the highest political level. The annual event that is held in Victoria, Seychelles also now known as the Creole Capital of the World, said as they closed this year’s event that the island nation was already looking forward to the planning for the 29th edition Festival Kreol in 2014.
It must be noted that high level political dignitaries from Rodrigues, Mauritius, La Reunion and host country Seychelles stood firmly together throughout the festival starting on 24 October and ending on 31 October. “Despite our own political beliefs, and despite of our religion we all continue to speak of uniting Creole speaking people of the world to proudly fly their creole cultural flag” said Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture.
The Vice President of the Republic of Mauritius, Madame Agnes Ohsan Bellepeau, the President of La Reunion Island, Mr Didier Robert, the President of General Council of La Reunion, Madame Nassimah Dindar, and Madame Rose De Lima Edouard, the Commissioner of Culture of Rodrigues Island joined Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture in all creole cultural manifestations at the 2013 Festival Kreol showing their personal support to the Festival and re-enforcing the statement that culture is a powerful tool when used to unite nations.
Mrs Bellepeau, the Vice President of Mauritius, currently following an approach of continuity in the preservation of Creole identity in Rodgriues and Mauritius said she was “honoured to be part and parcel of this year’s Festival Kreol’’.
Mr Robert and Mrs Dindar of La Reunion Island have gone even further in reaffirming their political will to work with Seychelles in conserving the Creole heritage by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at providing the Creole Institute with an international standing. La Reunion Island also helped Seychelles unveil commemorative plaques at the island’s Bel Air cemetery and at the slave ruins of Venns Town at Mission Lodge. “This is another sign of the existing friendship and deep bonds between the two islands” said President Didier Robert of La Reunion.
The Creole countries present in Seychelles for the 201 Festival Kreol have confirmed their commitment to champion their common heritage together with Seychelles, the island nation today respected as being at the forefront of this creole cultural drive.
Speaking to the press during the 2013 Festival Kreol Minister St.Ange explained the Seychelles position in rallying political dignitaries of Creole speaking nations. “Seychelles was proactive in launching a Festival Kreol 28 years ago o mark International Creole Day. Today we have rightfully earned the title of the “Creole Capital of the World’’. We now need to work with our regional and our international Creole Islanders to help us push this wheelbarrow filled with creole culture in all its diversity for the world to not only see and appreciate, but for the world to recognise that the Creole People from the Community of Nations are real with a cultural heritage that needs recognising and preserving” Minister St.Ange of the Seychelles said.
According to the festival organiser, and according to the foreign delegations present at the 2013 Festival Kreol, this year the tiny island nation of the Seychelles has not only surpassed itself with the Kreol Festival, but it has managed to bring Creole politicians on board the cultural event. “Victoria, not only shines as the Creole Capital of the world, but even as one of the smallest capitals of the world has managed to strengthen the existing political bond within regional leaders,” said Minister St.Ange.
Another milestone event during the 28th edition of Festival Kreol was the launching of the Solar panel pilot project at Constance Ephelia Resort, again in the presence of key regional political players as the 2013 Festival Kreol moved to bring trade and commerce between the Creole Community of Nations to the forefront. “La Reunion Island came to the 2013 Festival Kreol with a large delegation of entrepreneurs. They have shown what they produce in la Reunion and they have make new commercial contacts. We now need to nurture these contacts and bring more trade between our two islands” said Minister St.Ange.
“We also this year need to thank the Seychelles Musician’s Association, SEYMAS, for working with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to initiate the process of recognition of the island’s musicians and performing artists. This is always an ungrateful mission, but one that needs to be done and the Ministry remains thankful for the guidance of the Musician’s Association. We also thank the Au Cap MNA and the District Administration for their unwavering support to keep the District Au Cap in the forefront in the development of creole and its culture. The District of Beau Vallon also needs to be thanked for the TiFin traditional wedding ceremony that is now firmly established on the Festival Kreol program. The Creole Institute for staging its popular Bal Asosye and Madame Jenita Laporte of the Community Development Ministry for coordinating La Serenade and Pipili events, the organisers of the fashion show, the photo exhibitions and the different cultural shows for all your support and for the Organisers of the Opening Ceremony and Musical Shows for all their dedication. You have all done Seychelles proud” Minister Alain St.Ange said.