A host of activities is being organised for FetAfrik which will take place from May 23-28 under the theme Human rights with a particular focus on the rights of women.
Announcing the different activities yesterday morning, Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange said the theme is very important and they have come up with some innovative ideas as to how best to showcase it so as to highlight the importance of women and the role they play in society.
The official opening ceremony on Africa Day itself – on May 25 – has this year been moved to the International Conference Centre of Seychelles (ICCS).
“For many years the opening ceremony has taken place at the National Cultural Centre which has become too small. Taking it to the ICCS, it will be given all the splendor and glamour it deserves and the ceremony will be held under the theme Umoja (the Kiswahili word for unity) which is very important for us as a people,” Minister St Ange pointed out.
FetAfrik is a platform where Seychellois and Africans can exchange and express themselves in promoting peace and development through common cultural heritage.
He noted that like every year the organising committee, chaired by the principal secretary for culture Benjamine Rose and her team, has again invited participation from countries from mainland Africa and Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda have responded positively. They will be sending groups to take part in an Umoja popular musical show soon after the official opening. Tickets for the show will cost R100 apiece.
Well-known South African street artist Wesley Pepper; lead trainer in life skills and living values Helen Sayers; as well as the respected and reputed professor Samba from Senegal who will conduct lectures on African renaissance, will this year take part and bring another aspect to the 
FetAfrik celebrations.
PS Rose said that like every year, the programme is packed with activities aimed at satisfying all groups in society.
“We have worked with our different partners including the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) as well as different local artists who have brought in their contributions,” she said.
Working with the SNYC to boost its values programme, PS Rose said Ms Sayers will lead three different training of trainers’ sessions entitled the Spirit of Ubuntu. The latteris a Nguni Bantu term which means human kindness or good values, which is an idea from the Southern African region.
SNYC chief executive Alvin Laurence said workers of the council as well as youth workers and representatives from different schools will take part in the training.
Former minister Peter Sinon has through his great link to the African continent and love for African culture as well as his different contacts, worked to bring in professor Samba as well as fine, mural and street artist Wesley Pepper who will be holding art exchange sessions with Seylar members.
“I believe FetAfrik also provides a great opportunity for us to learn more about the African continent and professor Samba has a wealth of knowledge of the continent and he will be a great source of inspiration for us and it will be a great exchange,” he said.
Meanwhile, PS Rose said this year there will be no popular activity like sale of African foods and artifacts and this is because experiences of past years have shown that the African communities here have found it unsustainable to have enough ingredients to provide the different dishes over the week-long activities.
She added that the two gala evenings being organised on May 27 at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay hotel and the African dinner dance at Espace on May 28 are events which would provide the local public with a real taste of African cuisine and entertainment in the right atmosphere and at affordable prices.
Source : Seychelles NATION