Seychelles gets own Guangzhou Garden |29 November 2016

Visitors and locals can now have a taste of the unique charm of Chinese culture in a Guangzhou garden located on a hill in the Western part of the Seychelles Botanical Garden.

The Guangzhou Garden was handed over to the National Botanical Garden Foundation of Seychelles yesterday during a short ceremony where the plaque of the garden was unveiled by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC) Didier Dogley, executive director in the Office of the Mayor of Victoria Lydia Charlie, deputy secretary of Guangzhou Municipality Diao Ailin, and the Chinese chargé d’affaires Zhang Xiang Yang.

The relationship between the National Botanical Gardens and Guangzhou city started in October 2014 when the ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Paul Adam and his delegation visited Guangzhou at the invitation of the mayor Chen Jianhua for the handing over of giant tortoises to Guangzhou zoo.

The minister and the mayor then agreed to build a Guangzhou garden in the National Botanical Gardens.

This project was made possible with the financial support from mayor Chen Jianhua and the support of China Shenyang Cooperation (Seychelles Ltd) and the Guangzhou Landscape Agriculture Company, under the guidance of the National Botanical Gardens.

The plaque unveiling ceremony was followed by a tour of the garden led by the chief executive of the National Botanical Gardens Foundation (NBGF) Raymond Brioche.

Following the tour, the deputy director of administration of forestry and gardening of Guangzhou Municipality Chen Xun and Mr Brioche signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which ensures the maintenance and care of the garden falls under NGBF and also support further cooperation such as research and capacity building training for urban horticulture and environment.

A small miniature of the five ram stone structure which is the most striking symbol in the city of Guangzhou, sets the main scene of the Guangzhou garden as well as other landmarks and flora and fauna of Guangzhou region.

Minister Dogley said the statue represents the five immortals that arrived on the back of five rams with ear corns in their mouth to help people out of poverty and hunger.

“The garden with its magnificent structure will serve to demonstrate testament of the history that binds our two people as well as the promise of our shared future,” he said.

 He added that the Guangzhou garden will be a strong reminder of the true friendship that exists between our two nations, a commonality that we share in culture.

“At the same time, it will also provide the Seychellois people with the flavour of your beautiful country,” he said.

Mr Xiang Yang said this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

“Guangzhou Garden is a gift from Guangzhou people to Seychelles, and it is also an important symbol of friendly exchange and corporation between China and Seychelles,” he said.

He said state to state relations strive when there is friendship between the people.

“I believe the foundation of Guangzhou Garden will further deepen the friendship between the Chinese people and the Seychellois,” he said.

Mr Ailin also shared promising words of further cooperation between his city and the Seychelles.

Present during the ceremony were the Minister for Health and Social Affairs Jean-Paul Adam, deputy secretary of China Youth League Guangzhou committee, principal secretaries, members of the Guangzhou delegation and Chinese committee, among other distinguished guests.