From the first edition of the Carnaval International de Victoria, the Official Opening Ceremony of the event was always in the heart of Victoria, with the beautiful “Clock Tower” as the symbolic backdrop.
This year, for the first time, the Opening Ceremony of the carnival will be held in the “Stad Popiler” or “People’s Stadium” in Victoria. The center of Victoria next to the Clock Tower has become too small to accommodate the large crowd for the Official Opening Ceremony. The Official Opening Ceremony of the Carnaval International de Victoria is a grand ceremony, full of rhythm and bursting with color, under the theme of “cultural diversity in the world of carnivals.”
Lasting for about an hour and a half, the organizers will this year be offering a breathtaking spectacle, with the best moments of the show being a great musical repertoire of Seychellois and international artists. Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, and the Tanmi Production house team, tendered to organize the carnival, police, foreign affairs, state security, Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation, that were all this week at “Stad popiler” to inspect the site. “We are now but two weeks before the Official Opening Veremony,” Minister St.Ange said.
Minister St.Ange also said that one of the strong moments of the one-and-a-half-hour show, will be the beating of the drums by Seychellois and by many of the international delegations participating in the carnival.
“It will be an excellent show – one where we will show the cultural diversity of nations and showcase the meaning to our tagline of the melting pot of cultures,” Minister St.Ange said.
After the Opening Ceremony in the “Stad Popiler,” a great musical repertoire of Seychellois and international artists will take to the stage to wow the audience. Minister St.Ange said that the Seychelles Tourism Board and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture heard the plea of the nation that for the past three editions they did not get the chance to fully appreciate the official opening ceremony.
“The center of Victoria, where we have staged this annual event, is becoming too small. We didn’t realize that carnival would grow so fast and that it would become the Seychelles’ biggest national event. Yes, in the past, dignitaries managed to see the show, but the public, the biggest chunk of the population, didn’t see it properly. We’ve listened to the nation and have acted on their recommendations. Today we’re still keeping Victoria as the location of our official opening, but we’re putting the show in a stadium where all Seychellois and our visitors alike can all better appreciate the Official Opening Ceremony show.”
“Stad popiler” will be able to accommodate the large crowd expected to be present for the Official Opening Ceremony and for the great musical show that will follow, the National Sports Council said. Tanmi Production said the positioning of the stage in the middle of the playing field will provide a better view for people watching the free open air show.
Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .