Sids to be represented in fourth carnival |21 April 2014

No matter how far away they are from Seychelles, all small islands developing states (Sids) will be represented in the fourth Carnaval International de Victoria this coming Saturday.  

This will be through a float coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, which will see the involvement of staff working in that same ministry, of the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC), the Landscape and Waste Management, National Botanical Garden Foundation, Seychelles National Park Authority, Seychelles Energy Commission, Seychelles Islands Foundation, and members of environmental school groups such as Sand watch, Friends of Vallée De Mai, Rainwater Harvesting Awareness team etc.

Those taking party will be dressed in national or traditional costumes of each small islands developing states.  In order to achieve that a lot of research has been carried out over the past three months on each of the Sids. This has also involved the networking with all Sids to confirm their national costumes. Different Sids network groups such as the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, SIDS DOCK, the Indian Ocean Commission and the secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) have shared information and ease communication with the different Sids. Through these networks, especially that of SIDS DOCK, photos from different Sids have been sent to the organising team.

SID DOCK has contributed towards the financing of the costumes, while the IOC will contribute towards the T-Shirts, foods and drinks which those taking part will use on the day.  Apart from these two organisations, the other sponsors are the Ministry of Environment and Energy, PUC, SIF and Environment Trust Fund (ETF).

All clothes have been produced locally which has helped both the organising team and the seamstresses to learn about the culture of Sids. Most of the clothes are being produced by the students learning textiles at the School of Visual Arts.

“We do not want to import ready-made items as we want it to be a learning process, where we learn about the culture of all Sids,” said Jeannette Larue, the coordinator of the Sids float.
The Ministry of Environment and Energy is planning to use the carnival as a platform to raise public awareness on Sids, to let people know more about the Sids and in which region they come from.
 It will also showcase the biodiversity of Sids, especially ocean, stressing on the blue economy concept.

Another major purpose of the involvement of a Sids float is to celebrate the United Nations’ International Year of Small Islands Developing States.

Even the overseas Sids partners are getting excited to know that their islands will be represented and Christine Nevis Ducan from the SIDS DOCK secretariat wrote in a recent email:  “I am even more excited now as we get nearer to the carnival. Going to the next phase of the project, I can't wait to see what you have done with all those wonderful and colourful costumes the SIDS DOCK national coordinators sent you for the carnival.”

The Ministry of Environment and Energy is calling on the general public to come down to Victoria this coming Saturday to enjoy the carnival and at the same time learn more about the Sids.

Two young ladies who will be taking part in the float trying on the traditional skirt of Dominica (left) and the Tonga island’s costume