Carnival launch will now take place at Stad Popiler |10 April 2014

The official launch of this year’s carnival will now take place at Stad Popiler, the organisers have announced.

Traditionally, the launch ceremony has been held in the heart of Victoria, with the clock tower as the symbolic backdrop.

But this year, for the first time, the opening ceremony of the Carnaval International de Victoria will be held in a stadium in Victoria, the Stad Popiler.

The organisers have promised a grand ceremony full of rhythm and bursting with colour under the theme of cultural diversity in the world of carnivals.

For about an hour and a half, members of the public will be regaled with a breathtaking spectacle, according to the organisers.
Seychelles has ensured that this year the three official languages of the country will be reflected in the official opening of the carnival. South Africa has chosen for its country, television presenter Angelique Gerber as the Master of Ceremony for English. Marie Payet, Miss France 2011, will be representing the French language, along with singer Michelle Marengo from Seychelles bringing forward the Creole language.

After the official speeches, Seychellois and international artists will take to the stage to entertain the audience, setting the tone for the main carnival parade which will take place the following day.

Representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and carnival production team Tanmi are expected to carry out a site visit at Stad Popiler this afternoon to assess the logistics for the official opening.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that a leading German tour operator will bring top agents to experience the carnival in Seychelles.

Last year, travel agents from Germany on a fam trip to Seychelles were just “filling in” for German carnival groups that were busy with simultaneous celebrations at home, but they were so thrilled that DERTOUR, one of Germany’s leading tour operators, decided to send another group of 44 travel agents to the 2014 Carnaval International de Victoria, and this time they join three dozens revellers from Düsseldorf, bringing the total of carnival “emissaries” from Germany to an unprecedented 80.

Led by ‘Prince Simon I’ and ‘Princess Rebecca Venetia’, the Düsseldorf delegation will include musicians from the ‘Swinging Funfares’ group and dancers from the ‘Carnival Friends of the Catholic Youth’.

The so-called ‘Mega Fam Trip’ organised by DERTOUR in collaboration with the Seychelles Tourism Board’s Frankfurt Office, Emirates and Mason’s Travel will give German travel professionals not only a chance to learn more about the country conducting hotel visits and site inspections, but also to experience first hand what it is like to be in Seychelles at this very special time of the year, when carnival groups from all over the world congregate to share their joy.

The 2014 Carnaval International de Victoria, which will take place from April 25-27, is being jointly co-hosted by Seychelles, Reunion, Madagascar, Mayotte and South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal.