VICTORIA, Seychelles — To mark the 40th Festival Kreol, the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) Seychelles has donated R86,000 to the Festival Kreol committee, represented by the National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts. The handover took place during a small ceremony on Thursday afternoon at the bank’s head office at Caravelle House.
MCB has long supported the Festival Kreol, whether through its art exhibition, cultural competitions or other initiatives. This year, its support has been expanded to include storytelling sessions, during which around 70 children were given the chance to listen to stories told by elderly members of the community during the week. In addition, MCB is supporting the art exhibition, which opened on October 16 and will run until October 31, ‘Vilaz Kreol’ from October 24 to 31, and a stage for Creole music at Caravelle House on October 24 and Eden Island on October 30. The bank is also offering trophies and cash prizes for ‘Lafoli Lanmod’, which is currently underway.
Speaking at the ceremony, MCB’s deputy director general, Dolly Tirant, said it is very important for the bank to promote the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations. ‘Festival Kreol is one of the most vibrant celebrations in Seychelles, showcasing the richness of Creole heritage through music, dance, cuisine and the arts,’ she said.
Permanent secretary for the Department of Culture, Cecile Kalebi, said the Festival Kreol committee truly appreciates the generosity shown by MCB. ‘It really shows their support for culture and our heritage. We are pleased that after we finished our meeting with MCB, they immediately gave us the assurance that they would support us, and we see that they are backing us with a range of activities that touch all sections of the population, including children, adults and the elderly,’ she said.
