Heritage award winners receive prizes |25 April 2015

School children who took part in the third heritage award under the theme ‘Family Tree’ received their prizes this week.

This was during a ceremony held at Alliance Française and attended by the winners, guests and sponsors of the award. Among them were the director of the National Archives Alain Lucas, chief executive of Mauritius Commercial Bank Bernard Jackson, project manager of Seychelles Heritage Foundation Maxwell Julie and the director of Alliance Française Laurent Jalicours.

The heritage award launched by the Seychelles Heritage Foundation and Elite Club Seychelles three years ago, aims at engaging school children through art, to promote and take great pride in conservation and preservation of our rich and diverse heritage.

In this year’s award based on the theme ‘Family Tree’ pupils had to conduct research at the National Archives and present their family tree in creative art concepts. The winners received gifts and certificates.

In the primary category Nathalia Pillay won first prize, while Aroushca Magnan and Angelica Lavigne Camille took the second and third prizes.

In the secondary category the first prize went to Alexandra Payet, with Emmaline Zelia and Maria-Serah Uranie finishing second and third.
Twenty pupils received certificates of recognition for taking part in the competition.

Addressing those present for the event Mr Julie said the heritage award now features prominently on the calendar of activities to celebrate heritage week.

“There is a strong consciousness among the population – both young and old – regarding the need to protect the natural environment. The reason for this success is primarily because no stones have been left unturned by top decision-makers in their quest to educate our young people on the importance, fragility and value of our natural heritage,” Mr Julie pointed out.

But he however noted that it is a sad fact that our people do not know enough about the importance, fragility and value of our cultural heritage.

“There exists a lot of uncertainty on what is exactly ours to claim. As a result, our present generation does not value our cultural heritage enough. Often we tend to accept the cultural heritage of another country because it is being more vocally and aggressively promoted,” Mr Julie stressed.

“There is no better group for us to focus on if we want to see real change in the way we appreciate and cherish our heritage other than the children and the youth,” he pointed out.