Speech By President James A Michel On The Ocassion Of The Launching Of "Carnaval International De Victoria" Friday 4 March, 2011

Chers compatriotes,
Chers amis venus de l’étranger,
Chers participants,

Quel plus bel endroit au monde pour fêter en liesse la fusion des cultures et des races, l’exubérance de la joie-de-vivre, l’art de vivre en harmonie avec l’environnement, la tolerance, la paix et l’unité? C’est Victoria! Victoria - capitale  du monde créole. Victoria, ville de paix et de partage. Victoria, merveilleuse ville métisse, ville de générosité et de chaleur humaine! Notre ville vous accueille tous chaleureusement - en particulier nos amis venus de loin. Je vous remercie de votre presence et de votre participation. Le Carnaval international de Victoria est la vitrine de quelques elements de notre culture et de notre patrimoine que nous souhaitons partager avec vous. Merci a vous de nous faire partager les vôtres. Soyez bienvenues a Victoria et profitez-en de notre hospitalité créole.

Dear friends,

The Carnaval International de Victoria is the perfect encapsulation of the "Seychelles Brand". The "Seychelles Brand" is a bridge between civilisations and cultures. It is a reflection of our social cohesion, our customs and values, our harmony and unity as a people of diverse origins. It showcases our nation as a true melting-pot of cultures, and a truly unique place. It is what distinguishes us from others as a tourism destination. The Seychelles Brand is the vision I had in mind when I took over the portfolio for tourism. A vision to diversify our tourism products so that our people can reap more benefits from the industry. We are indeed reaping more benefits from this industry. Credit for this goes to Mr. Alain St Ange and to all his staff in the Seychelles Tourism Board, to all the stakeholders in the industry: the hoteliers, the airlines, the waiters and waitresses, the chambermaids, the taxi drivers, the providers of services etc. To you all, I say thank you and congratulations!

The Carnaval International de Victoria provides us with this excellent opportunity to show to the world not only what we are, but also what we have to offer as a tourism destination: the natural warmth and heartfelt welcome of a people who still live close to their roots; the social stability and concord we enjoy, and the spontaneity and irrepressible joie de vivre of our island-style way of life. It is also an opportunity for us to carry our tourism industry into the domestic arena and allow Seychellois the chance to interact with the carnival participants and enjoy to the full the spectacle that they have brought to our shores. This underscores our conviction that our tourism industry can only really prosper if it first engages the fullest understanding, support and participation of our people.

Ser frer ek ser Seselwa,

Vreman, sa dikton "lemonn i en vilaz globaz" i pran tou son sinnyifikasyon ozordi, a-traver Karnaval Enternasyonal Viktorya! Regard otour nou: nou vwar tou sa bann dimoun sorti dan tou le kat kwen lemonn ki’n vin partaz bann eleman for zot kiltir ek zot patrimwann avek nou. Lo nou kote, nou pe fer parey, e sa, avek bokou lafyerte. Nou annan bokou pour nou partaze: nou kiltir kreol, nou linite nasyonal e nou larmoni dan tou nou diversite koman en nasyon - e ki bokou, dan sa monn tirbilan i anvye.

Nou enn pti pei, me nou’n akonpli bokou, e nou pou akonpli ankor bokou plis a-traver sa ki pli sakre pour nou: nou linite nasyonal! Se sa nou pli gran larises, nou byen pli presye. Annou touzour prezerv li. Annou - a-traver Karnaval Enternasyonal Viktorya - valorize non selman nou kiltir, nou patrimwann, nou zwa-de-viv, me osi nou linite nasyonal. Nou Karnaval i anmenn lemon ver Sesel. I osi anmenn Sesel ver lemon. Annou profit sa lokazyon pou partaz avek lemon antye tou sa ki nou annan de-meyer koman en pti nasyon dan sa vilaz imans global.

Annou, nou tou, partisip dan lazwa, dan lape e serenite dan sa gran levennman. Annou, nou tou, fer sa Karnaval vin en lokazyon inoubliab. Annou, nou tou, ouver nou leker anver nou zanmi etranze ki isi avek nou, e ofer zot nou lospitalite kreol. Annou, nou tou ansanm, ini dan patriotizm e dan linite nasyonal, pou fer Karval Enternasyonal Viktorya, vin en sikse retantisan. Annou fer li en sikse pour Sesel. En laviktwar pour Sesel!

Mon annan a-prezan gran plezir deklar ouver Karnaval Enternasyonal Viktorya.

Ki lazwa, lape, larmoni i rennyen isi Sesel e dan lemonn antye. Ki laviktwar  pour Sesel i rezonnen partou dan Viktorya!