Minister Jean Paul Adam, the Seychelles minister of foreign affairs joined Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board and eTurboNews ambassador, to sell the 2011 Seychelles “Carnaval International de Victoria” to Dubai. Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles is planning an international carnival scheduled to take place in March 2011, echoing the time when Seychelles first became a melting pot of different cultures from the four corners of the planet.
Minister Adam and Mr. St.Ange told management of Emirates Airline that from March 4-7, 2011, Victoria is set to revisit its multi-ethic origins when the “Carnaval International de Victoria” comes to town. With participants from several countries with famous carnivals of their own, the Victoria Carnival is on course to bring the capital to life with a grand, open-air restaurant featuring food – and music – from across the world as local hotels, in coordination with various participating countries, set up al fresco restaurants showcasing their particular culture’s culinary skills.
The Seychelles delegation on a working visit to Dubai explained that the official opening of the carnival, attended by visiting dignitaries from the various participating countries, will take place on the same day when the festivities are expected to last throughout the night. They said that the Seychelles Capital is expected to be swelled by sailors from international navies whose visits are being encouraged to coincide with the 3-day carnival, this spectacular event will then move into the Carnival Day featuring a Carnival Procession of participants’ floats on a circular itinerary through the streets of the capital and against a backdrop of music, dance, and colorful costumes.
Minister Adam and Mr. St.Ange invited Dubai and Emirates to be part of this Indian Ocean Extravaganza. “The event will have its very own carnival song, composed by local artists to reflect the country’s three national languages: Creole, English and French, as well as music from the participants’ countries,” Alain St.Ange said when he emphasized that the diversity of the Seychelles population ensured that everyone was welcomed and that everyone would feel at home.
The local population and visitors will all be encouraged to participate in the spirit of the carnival and its various activities. Seychelles is also expected to add its own floats to the procession featuring the attributes of its main islands, so completing the picture of a vibrant international event celebrating the fact that Seychelles remains an important, harmonious melting pot of peoples from across the world.
Speaking to the press at the end of their working visit to Dubai, the Seychelles Tourism Board CEO Alain St.Ange said that many countries are now confirming their participation with one or with a couple of floats for the Carnaval Procession. Mr. St.Ange said that every Seychelles office overseas, diplomatic missions, or tourism representative bureaus, have been mandated to work to bring to Seychelles a participating country for the 2011 Seychelles Carnaval International de Victoria.
