Under the theme of Solidarity amongst Praslin artists, the people of the island welcomed their first-ever festival in a colorful and vibrant ceremony on Friday night at Amitie in the Grand Anse District of the Island.

A large crowd had graced the ceremony with their presence in the open-air launch which was held not far from the island’s airport.

Simple but moving is how the ceremony can be described, with patriotic songs filling the air and bringing a sense of harmony and patriotism as both young and old performed on stage.

Praslinois artist Mike Cedras had the honor to be the first on stage with his song Zil Paradi to set the ambiance for the official opening of the festival dubbed the Praslin Culinary and Arts Fiesta.
The opening was one which showcased this enchanted island in all its unique aspects of its own culture.

Veterans in the Praslin music industry had their fair share of the limelight during the opening, as the island’s much-loved Charles Lesperance well-known as Ton Charles enthralled the crowd with his violin.

Other mesmerizing performers were the school children who staged a role play under the theme Exploration of our coco-de-mer, taking the audience on a trip down the mysterious legend of the world’s largest nut and amusing those who had gathered there to witness the launch of this fiesta.

Addressing the crowd, member of the National Assembly for the Baie Ste. Anne district Natasha Esther echoed words of thanks to Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St.Ange and his team for listening to the call of the Praslin people to have their own festival.

“This event is one which touches not only the Praslin people but also the tourists coming to our shores, as it exposes our island’s art and culinary secrets. It is an important activity which will give Praslin more visibility,” she said.

“To make this fiesta a success, we need the support of all Praslinois. The coco-de-mer aspect of this fiesta will not destroy our island. We have taken into account the preservation and conservation of this unique nut. It is not a coco-de-mer festival.”

In his address to launch the Praslin Culinary & Arts Fiesta, Minister St.Ange said the event is set to unify the island and reposition its tourism industry, thus boosting its economy.

“We assure the people of Praslin that we have heard their call to have an event unique to the island,” the Minister said.

Speaking on the situation in regards to some people who are opposing the coco-de-mer use in this fiesta, Minister St.Ange said if it ideal for the country to export the coco-de-mer then it is good for the Praslin people to directly benefit from it too.

The Minister added that the Praslinois needed to claim back not only its tourism industry, but its unique its coco-de-mer nut as well.

Minister St.Ange called on the people of Praslin to work closely with Seychelles Tourism Board to make the island’s tourism industry work better and work for them as Praslinois, saying that every Seychellois has a role to play in conserving and defending the country’s tourism industry.

Minister St.Ange expressed words of thanks to the international press covering the event. He urged them to tell the world about the Praslin Culinary & Arts Fiesta and also about the exceptional beauty of Praslin. When he was called on stage to deliver his address Minister St.Ange invited his two colleague Ministers present, Minister Larue and Minister Sinon to join him on stage where a group of Chefs from the island who had registered for the island’s culinary competition. Minister Larue is a Praslinois and Minister Sinon has been advocation that there is culture in agriculture as he echoed his support for the event where local produce would be used for the culinary competition.

Spicing up the launch was the contemporary dance by the youngsters of the island, while two of the shining stars of Praslin, brothers Selvan and Percy Cesar joined by Mike Cedras and Lindy Dubignon for a medley of songs.

The Official Opening Ceremony of the Praslin Culinary & Arts Fiesta was seen and recorded as a real success.

Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .