National celebrations - Committee unveils programme of activities |08 June 2018

The National Celebration Committee has announced the programme of activities to celebrate the upcoming Constitution Day and National Day.

This year Seychelles is commemorating 25 years since the establishment of its Constitution and 42 years since its independence from Great Britain.

It is to be recalled that Seychelles first commemorated June 29, the day Seychelles gained independence, as its National Day in 2015. June 18, formerly the National Day, became the Constitution Day.

The chairperson of the National Celebration Committee, Designated Minister Macsuzy Mondon, gave out the details of the activities for both national holidays during a press conference yesterday.

“We are putting a lot of emphasis on the celebration of our Constitution,” revealed Minister Mondon.

In that regard, the committee is organising one week of activities dedicated to the Constitution starting from Monday, June 11.

The Constitution Week is an initiative that is expected to provide an appreciation and understanding of the Constitution within the population, especially among the youths.

It will involve the participation of the three branches of the government --legislative, executive and judiciary -- and various institutions that fall under the Constitution such as the Office of the Attorney General and the Ombudsman.

Programmes for the week will include a youth forum on June 11 themed ‘Youths: Guardians of our natural treasure’, followed by participatory sessions on the roles and achievements of the three organs of state and the civil society as well as on the promotion of our three languages during the course of the week.

Principal secretary Alain Volcère, who is also on the National Celebration Committee, added that the Constitution Week is geared mainly towards the youths, although he also admitted that everyone should be sensitised on the matter given the current political landscape.

“We are sending out a special request to the youths to participate in these sessions because they are the future guardians of our heritage and Constitution. It is important for them to understand what is going on,” Mr Volcère explained.

The Constitution Day on June 18 will be observed with the ceremonial flag raising event at 8.30am at the 'Moniman Lavwa Lanasyon' (Voice of the Nation Monument).

Two similar flag poles have been erected on Praslin and La Digue and, for the first time, residents of the inner island will participate with flag raising ceremony events of their own.

That of Praslin will be hosted at 2pm and La Digue's at 5pm.

Praslin is also organising an agricultural and horticultural show on the weekend of June 23 and 24 which will this time be hosted by the Grand Anse Praslin district.

Meanwhile the National show on Mahé is scheduled for the National Day, June 29, and will end at 6pm on July 1 with the National Day lottery draw.

The much awaited National Day parade is expected to be the usual fanfare of lights, music and performances with the small exception being that it will start 30 minutes earlier than customary.

“It will start at 5.30pm instead of 6pm because there are certain performances such as parachute landings that cannot be done when it’s getting dark,” Minister Mondon stated.

The parade will see the participation of France, India and Mauritius and the guest of honour will be the Commonwealth’s secretary-general, Patricia Scotland.

She is the second secretary-general from the Caribbean and the first woman to hold the post.