VICTORIA, Seychelles — The vice-mayor of Chengdu, Zhao Jian, and his delegation yesterday visited the Seychelles National Choir (SNC) at its rehearsal room at the Premier building, where the choir performed four songs — two in Chinese and two in Creole — to symbolise the deep friendship between China and Seychelles.
Vice-mayor Zhao described the performance as wonderful, saying he could feel a deep, genuine passion. ‘Not just for life, but for everything that makes it meaningful. Every note carried their love for their homeland, their pride in their culture, and a heartfelt connection to their fellow citizens,’ he said. He extended an invitation to the Seychelles National Choir to take part in the Chengdu International Sister City Music Festival.
Four choir members, including conductor Xiaoju Lownam and acting Mayor of Victoria Lydia Charlie, are scheduled to depart on July 23 and return on July 30, 2025. They will perform on July 27 and 28. Ms Lownam said one of the main challenges was mastering the pronunciation of Chinese, which required extra effort and focus during rehearsals. The choir is the first group of performers from the African region to be invited to the festival.
