President Dr Patrick Herminie and First Lady Mrs Veronique Herminie last evening attended a reception hosted by the President of the Regional Council of La Réunion, Ms Huguette Bello, at the Domaine du MoCA, providing the President and First Lady the opportunity to experience La Réunion's rich cultural heritage.
In her welcoming remarks, Ms Bello referred to the vibrant Creole culture that defines La Réunion’s identity, and of the challenges involved in preserving that heritage in a changing world. She underscored the importance of strengthened cooperation across the Indian Ocean region and voiced her support for developing the international dimension of the Creole Institute based in Seychelles so it can promote the Creole culture worldwide.
The evening featured a fusion of La Réunion's cultural expressions, including performances of Maloya, the traditional music and dance form inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In a gesture of friendship, President Herminie and First Lady Herminie presented Ms Bello with a coco de mer, the iconic Seychellois nut, as a token of appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to the First Couple and the rest of the Seychelles delegation.
In his own remarks on that occasion, President Herminie said the visit to La Réunion would remain forever etched in his memory, describing the moment spent in that place whose lush vegetation include a coco-de-mer palm, a symbol of the friendship between La Réunion and Seychelles, as one of the defining moments of his unforgettable stay.
President Herminie spoke of La Réunion as the point of departure for Seychelles, noting its contribution to the populating of his country and its lasting imprint on the Seychellois culture. The President paid tribute to the memory of the ancestors who built the bridges of the two nations' shared destiny and thanked all those present working towards its continued realisation.
The President and First Lady later joined guests to watch the fireworks marking the culmination of activities marking the French National Day.