Disasters cast dark cloud over a generally good year |29 December 2023
Seychelles was on the way to capping an overall good year 2023 when two major disasters struck early December, turning around the lives of many families and individuals and leaving an entire nation in shock and disbelief.
In the early hours of December 7 a massive explosion originating at the Civil Construction Company Limited (CCCL) in Petit Paris obliterated the company’s headquarters, creating a deep crater in the area, sending shockwaves in the nearby region, shattering glass windows, doors, roofs, ceiling of nearby houses in Cascade, as well as buildings in the Providence industrial estate, and as far as Pointe Larue airport.
The blast forced many families to evacuate their homes and seek refuge either in temporary shelters such as schools established by the district administration office or with family members from other districts.
According to the chief executive of the Health Care Agency, Dr Danny Louange, a total of 178 people received medical treatment at its different centres as a result of the blast.
Earlier in the night (December 6), attention was directed to the northern region, mainly Glacis, Le Niole, Beau Vallon and Bel Ombre which was hit by a torrential rainstorm leading to heavy flooding and landslides which caused the death of three persons – two from Le Niole (64-year-old Dorothy Lafortune and her 12-year-old grandson Hakeem Antoine) who died after a landslide razed their house and a 71-year-old woman in Bel Ombre (Hyacinthe Napoleon) who was swept away in a landslide that destroyed her house and ended up in a river.
Although not directly related to the torrential rainstorm, a fourth death was recorded when Wahida Payet, 58, passed away as a result of a severe shock she suffered upon learning of the deaths of her sister Dorothy and of Hakeem.
In the wake of these two unprecedented calamities in the country’s history, President Wavel Ramkalawan set up a special disaster relief fund, urging the people to rally in unity to assist those in need.
As the victims slowly pick themselves up and start the agonizing process of putting the broken pieces of their lives back together, they can rest assured of the whole nation’s prayers, comfort and support during this dark episode of their lives.
Meanwhile, Seychelles NATION brings its readers a month by month review of other national news highlights that have marked this eventful, albeit sad, year.
January
01.01.23: The Maternity Unit of the Seychelles Hospital welcomes three newborns , with the first female baby born at 1.08am and the second baby, a male, at 6.13am.
Baby Malia is the third to be delivered at 5.18pm.
02.01.23: Noemie Benoit, affectionately called ‘Memer’ by her family, relatives and friends, celebrates her 107th birthday surrounded by some of her grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren as well as other family members.
Memer had only one daughter, Bradeline, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 83.
02.01.23: Local band Mozaik premiere the video of their song ‘Leve’ in a ceremony organised for family, friends and sponsors and attended by the head of state Wavel Ramkalawan and the First Lady Linda Ramkalawan, Vice-President Ahmed Afif and his wife Stella Afif as well as other dignitaries.
According to one of the members, Isis Rath, ‘Leve’ is a metaphor for everything in life, “everything that you want, everything you need to do, you need to rise, take the step to be able to achieve it. It is a positive affirmation that you need to do every morning”.
02.01.23: A new bus shelter at Mont Fleuri sponsored by the G.S. Pillay family is officially opened.
The new bus shelter replaces the previous one which had to be demolished to complete work on a new roundabout in the vicinity of Weeling’s shop.
04.01.23: The Ministry of Transport appoints Geffy Zialor as acting chief executive of the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC).
The ministry also appoints a new Harbour Master (Captain Mudiyanselage Avantha Udeni) and deputy Harbour Master (Captain Jean-Paul Fanchette) within the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA).
05.01.23: Forty-one (41) vehicles belonging to Vijay Construction (Pty) Limited fleet go under the hammer.
The vehicles comprise different models of cars, SUVs, luxury vehicles and even construction equipment.
All of the funds collected from the sale are to go towards Eastern European Engineering Limited (EEEL), after Vijay Construction lost its long-running legal battle with the company in October 2022, making it liable to a substantial payout exceeding €20 million.
06.01.23: Madanm Evangeline Joubert, ne Finesse e byen koni konman Madanm Georges ou Manmzel Lilin, i selebre son 100enm lanniverser.
Madanm Joubert i en zabitan Bai Ste Anne Praslin.
06.01.23: Three crew members of a capsized boat are recovered by the Seychelles Coast Guard.
They had left La Retraite for Anse à la Mouche the day before in a small boat which capsized after taking in water. The three men managed to swim and reach the shores of the closest Island, Ile Thérèse.
06.01.23: Five parents whose children attend the school for the deaf receive their certificate after completing training in sign language offered by the association for the deaf.
08.01.23 : Antoinette Barrack fête ses 104 ans entourée de sa fille Gemma, de ses deux fils Philippe et Paul et ses petits-enfants.
10.01.23: Over a month after being relieved of his duty as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ron Bonnelame breaks his silence and announces that he has started legal proceedings against what he termed as his “illegal termination”.
Mr Bonnelame was appointed as Deputy Police Commissioner on August 31, 2021, and the Seychelles Police Force issued a press release on December 5, 2022 announcing his termination in line with its ongoing reforms within the force among which is to have one Deputy Commissioner of Police.
10.01.23 : L’Ambassadrice extraordinaire et plénipotentiaire de la République Populaire de Chine aux Seychelles, Mme Guo Wei, fait ses adieux au Président de la République, M. Wavel Ramkalawan, après avoir passé quatre ans aux Seychelles.
10.01.23: The annual ceremonious event to officially launch the calendar year of the Seychelles Supreme Court takes place at the St Paul’s Cathedral with a religious service of praise and hymns, to be followed by a ceremonial parade through town.
11.01.23: A couple, Percy and Denise Morel, donates five wheelchairs and six walking sticks to the Hemodialysis Unit at the Seychelles Hospital.
11.01.23: The embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Seychelles holds a reception at the Eden Bleu Hotel to commemorate the 2023 Chinese Spring Festival, and as a farewell in honour of outgoing Chinese Ambassador Guo Wei.
11.01.23: Madanm Claire Coutts i selebre son 101enm lanniverser atraver en pti seremoni organize par bann manm fanmiy ek bann zanmi, ansanm avek Minister Gouvernman Lokal ek Zafer Kominoter.
11.01.23 : Une messe requiem (repos) est célébrée pour le pape Benoit XVI à la Cathédrale Immaculée Conception à Victoria par l’Evêque de Port-Victoria Alain Harel.
Le pape émérite est mort le samedi 31 décembre, 2022 dans la matinée au monastère Mater Ecclesiae au Vatican, où il s'était retiré après sa renonciation en 2013.
12.01.23: Albert Alexander Geers is sentenced to six years imprisonment for possession with intent to traffic in a controlled drug, contrary to section 9 (1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act (2016), after he was found to be unlawfully possessing 3.945 kilograms of cannabis at his Bel Ombre residence on May 30, 2017.
13.01.23 : Comme une dernière marque de solidarité avant son départ, l’Ambassadrice de la République Populaire de Chine, Son Excellence Madame Guo Wei signe avec le Chef des Forces de Défense, le Brigadier Michael Rosette, un protocole militaire portant sur le don d’un navire d'escorte à l’Etat-major général des forces de défense des Seychelles.
13.01.23: The Ministry of Health pays tribute to Dr Mahendra K. Patel who passed away in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2022 and cremated on January 5, 2023.
Health principal secretary Bernard Valentin describes Dr Patel as “a towering health leader, one of the oldest Seychellois doctors alive until recently, a man who contributed immensely to shape local medical ethics and excellence in patient-centered care for four decades”.
14.01.23: Dernyen sis episod dan seri film Kreol ‘Laflanm’, ekrir par Albert Duncan e prodwir par lakonpannyen Marketing Guru, i konmans difize lo lasenn Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).
Sa sis episod ki annan pour tit ‘Laflanm: Dife Ble’, i kontinyasyon ‘Laflanm: Lanmour Enposib’ ki’n deza difize lo SBC an 2021. Sa seri ti ganny komisyonnen par SBC.
14.01.23 : Une délégation seychelloise composée de Mme Miera Savy et Mme Marie-Lucy représente l'Institut National des Seychelles pour le Patrimoine Culturel et les Arts ; la Creative Seychelles Agency ; et le Seychelles Film Classification and Permit Office à la 5e CineVision Sud et les 14èmes Rencontres professionnelles du Cinéma qui se deroule aux Antilles.
Elles sont accompagnées de Mme Georgina Dilhon de Kreol International Magazine.
14.01.23: Miss Universe Seychelles 2022, Gabriella Gonthier, competes alongside 86 women in the 71st Miss Universe competition in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
15.01.23: As a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Health is asking all patients who have received cloxacillin the previous week, in capsules, tablets or syrup, in government, private clinics and pharmacies, and who are still using this medicine to stop taking it.
The advisory notice comes as a result of an investigation being carried out after it was found out that two patients had symptoms related to cloxacillin consumption, one of whom has passed away while the other is admitted at the Seychelles Hospital and is in a stable condition.
16.01.23: The trial in the murder of 21-year-old Sherleytine Ernesta officially starts, following the selection of the nine-panel jury.
Two persons, namely 44-year-old Lussel Labiche of Takamaka and 18-year-old Ashten Elisabeth of Anse Royale, both stand charged with two counts each, after the body of Ms Ernesta was found in Bougainville on May 4, 2022.
17.01.23: Once again Gran Kaz shows its support to the Oncology Unit of the Seychelles Hospital through a donation comprising three sofa sets for the waiting area, two wheelchairs, two shoe racks, and also a receptionist office desk, all of which amount to just under R50,000.
17.01.23: A new body, the Teachers Council of Seychelles (TCS), is launched with the aim of promoting and regulating the teaching profession. This is in accordance with the Education Regulation 2021.
17.01.23: A batch of Special Education Needs resources purchased at a cost of R2 million by the Ministry of Education is presented to all schools to better meet the diverse needs of learners with special needs and further promote inclusion.
The resources include books, braille embossment for the visually impaired, and several sets of toys for fine motor skills development and creativity and for psychomotor skills development, among others.
18.01.23: Former President Danny Faure is leading a team of Commonwealth election observers in the twin island country of Antigua and Barbuda for the general elections.
19.01.23: The ambassador-designate to Mauritius and Seychelles, Henry Jardine, takes his oath of office in a ceremony at the National Museum of American Diplomacy.
19.01.23: The Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) offers a significant donation to the Ministry of Education under a project dubbed ‘The Pencil Case Project’.
As part of the project, SRC staff have to raise a total of 200 pencil cases to gift to a group of students across the country.
20.01.23: Claude Morel presents his credentials to the President of Angola, João Lourenço, as Seychelles’ non-resident ambassador to that country.
20.01.23: The Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) receives 10 new buses procured under the Indian Line of Credit support. The buses are from the Ashok Leyland Company.
23.01.23: Former President Danny Faure, founder and chairman of the Danny Faure Foundation, takes part in The Ocean Race Summit Mindelo, being held in Cabo Verde.
Former President Faure joins the United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, the Prime Minister of Cabo Verde, José Ulisses Correia e Silva, the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, and the chairman of The Ocean Race, Richard Brisius, as a speaker at the Summit.
24.01.23: Seychelles’ Constitutional Court delivers its ruling on the procedural aspects of the motion for recusal of the judges from hearing the petition challenging the constitutionality of the 10th Constitutional Amendment, dismissing it on the basis that the “motion appears to be frivolous and vexatious and an abuse of the process of this court”.
24.01.23: The Ministry of Education commemorates the International Education Day for the second consecutive year, highlighting success stories within the sector and stressing on the need to maintain these progress.
25.01.23: The Office of the President announces the appointment of Lisa Lautoy as the new chief executive of the Enterprise Seychelles Agency (Esa) effective as of January 1, 2023.
Ms Lautoy has 14 years of working experience in the financial services sector.
25.01.23: The Ministry of Education of Cabo Verde signs a memorandum of understanding with the Danny Faure Foundation (DFF) on The Ocean Chapter, under the DFF International Chapters.
The Ocean Chapter provides a platform where schools and educational institutions, local and abroad, can establish networks among themselves with the goal of further empowering their ocean champions.
25.01.23: Seychelles and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announce that key priority projects in the domain of housing, sports and health have been approved as part of the two nations’ efforts to further consolidate their diplomatic ties and reinforce their bilateral relations.
26.01.23: Some members of the Indian community living in Seychelles gather at the ex-Indian high commission, Le Chantier, for a flag hoisting ceremony to mark the 74th Republic Day of India.
26.01.23: A new free self-defence class for women is launched by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs in collaboration with the Combat Athletics Academy.
The programme is being run by Denis Cesar, head coach of the academy.
26.01.23: President Wavel Ramkalawan visits Praslin and La Digue to inspect progress made on five ongoing projects on the former and three on the latter.
27.01.23: The Commissioner General of the Seychelles Revenue Commission, Veronique Herminie, resigns.
27.01.23: The Office of the President announces the appointment of Ronny Antat as the new chief executive of the Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA) effective January 9, 2023.
Mr Antat has 12 years of experience working in both the private and public sectors.
27.01.23: Korporasyon Litilite Piblik (PUC) i onor 73 travayer ki’n pran zot retret depi lannen 2020 ziska 2022.
Bi sa seremoni se pour remersye zot pour zot kontribisyon ki zot in fer dan devlopman ek lepanouisman sa korporasyon pour fer li vin sa ki i ete ozordi.
27.01.23: The Office of the President announces the appointment of Albert Duncan as the new chief executive of the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) effective from February 1, 2023.
Mr Duncan has 18 years of experience working in both the private and public sectors.
28.01.23: Renowned local singer Des (Despilly Williams) celebrates his 64-year career in the music industry with a country and western show in front of a packed International Conference Centre (ICCS).
28.01.23: Seychelles’ former priest and politician, Gabriel Hoarau, (affectionately known as Gaby by his friends) passes away at his home at Pointe Conan, aged 82.
During his tenure as priest he was known for attending to the less fortunate, including collecting and importing heaps of clothes and distributing them to people across the country.
His benevolent work was so popular, leading to the term coined ‘Lenz Per Hoarau’.
30.01.23: The newly renovated National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) building at Mont Fleuri is officially re-opened by President Wavel Ramkalawan and the Minister for Health, Peggy Vidot.
The cost of the renovation is estimated at R20 million.
30.01.23: A group of experts from Africa gather in Seychelles to develop a reference manual on sub-standard and falsified medicines and health products, as part of the MEDISAFE project funded by the European Union.
30.01.23: The Ministry of Health starts its campaign to vaccinate schoolchildren aged 5 to 11 years on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue with the Paediatric Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19.
30.01.23: The Ministry of Health starts its campaign to vaccinate schoolchildren aged 5 to 11 years on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue with the Paediatric Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19.
30.01.23: Absa Seychelles hands over a cheque for R30,000 to the division for substance abuse, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation (DSAPTR).
The money represents the bank’s winnings in the finals of the ‘Office Choir – Sing for Charity competition’ organised by the Seychelles Broadcasting Cooperation.
Absa Seychelles says it has chosen to support the DSAPTR because it believes strongly in wellness and mental health and has seen how DSAPTR tackles these issues.
30.01.23: The department of the Blue Economy welcomes a Malagasy delegation that is currently undertaking a working visit in Seychelles.
The Malagasy delegation wishes to learn from Seychelles’ best practices in the field of Blue Economy and also, better understand how to implement these efforts into their own Blue Economy agenda.
31.01.23: Former Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Minister Alain St Ange, who now heads his own 'Saint Ange Tourism Consultancy', boards the luxury cruise Ship ‘The World’ at Patina Maldives to lecture on board as the ship sails to Seychelles.
31.01.23: As Airtel Seychelles gears up for its 25th anniversary, the telecommunications company unveils the silver jubilee's logo and motto 'Young, Smart and Strong', for the celebratory year.
31.01.23: Lisa Simrique Singh of Nepal presents her credentials yesterday morning to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House as the new United Nations resident coordinator for Seychelles and Mauritius.
Ms Singh replaces Christine Umutoni who was accredited to Seychelles on January 23, 2018.
February
01.02.23: Four artisans and a music band, ‘l’Echo Group’, leave Seychelles for India, where they will take part in the annual ‘Surajkund International Craft Mela’, which is this year taking place from February 3 to February 19 under the aegis of Surajkund Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism.
The event which celebrates and promotes crafts, folks’ traditions, and cultural heritage, brings together artisans from several countries and Seychelles is a regular participant, allowing artisans to showcase their handicraft works and traditional band to show their talents.
03.02.23:President Wavel Ramkalawan announces the appointment of the new board of the Seychelles Meteorological Authority (SMA).
Gerard Hoareau and Lambert Woodcock have been re-appointed as chairperson and vice-chairperson respectively.
The other board members are:Vincent Amelie, CEO/member (ex-officio), Justin Prosper, Ruth Pool, David Labrosse, Ronny Alcindor and Wills Agricole.
03.02.23: The Ministry of Health officially lifts the alert and recall on cloxacillin.
The Ministry of Health imposed the alert and recall on cloxacillin in the evening of Saturday January 14, following unrelated clinical incidents that warranted further investigations.
06.02.23: Airtel Seychelles opens a new customer service shop at Plaisance as part of activities to commemorate its 25th anniversary.
06.02.23: Seychelles’ Designated Minister and Minister for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Jean-François Ferrari, participates in the inaugural ceremony of India Energy Week, inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
07.02.23 : One of our centenarians, Marie Aline Adela aged 102, passes away at her home at Anse François, Pointe Larue.
07.02.23: Lieutenant Colonel David Arrisol is appointed as Commander of the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) by Commander in Chief of the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF), President Wavel Ramkalawan, in a ceremony held at State House.
07.02.23: President Wavel Ramkalawan appoints Alexandra Madeleine as a judge of the Supreme Court.
Ms Madeleine’s appointment follows the recommendations of the Constitutional Appointments Authority, in accordance with Article 126 to 127 of the Constitution.
08.02.23: Seychelles-based civil society organisation LGBTI Sey and international legal non-governmental organisation the Human Dignity Trust jointly hosts a two-day workshop on protecting and advancing the rights of LGBT people in Southern Africa.
08.02.23: The National Museum of History receives a collection of picture postcards, a guidebook and brochures produced and sold by well-known Japanese photographer Samuel Singow Ohashi, who once lived in Seychelles.
The private collection, belonging to Sumio Aoki who lives in Japan, are handed over by the Japanese ambassador to Seychelles, Eiji Kato, to the permanent secretary of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, Cecille Kalebi.
09.02.23: The Seychelles Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SABVI), through Brigitte Lablache, launches the much awaited Braille classes for adults.
These classes will allow people with vision problem to participate in the development of the country and contribute towards the society.
10.02.23: The new passenger terminal of the Kato Nwanr Island on Praslin is officially opened by President Wavel Ramkalawan and the Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques.
The new terminal building comprises ticketing offices, restaurant, conference room, car rental and destination management companies’ stations and better luggage collection areas. It will complement the adjacent cargo terminal which shall also be further developed to include cold storage facilities, warehouses, specialised offshore facilities with more ‘haut de gamme’ products and better parking facilities.
12.02.23: The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA) signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Plant Conservation Action (PCA) Group to continue the conservation and maintenance of the rich biodiversity at the Tea Tavern site being maintained by PCA.
13.02.23: The Central Bank of Seychelles hosts the 28th meeting of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Committee of Central Bank Governors.
The meeting, held annually, sees the participation of ICT directors from the SADC central banks deliberating on various ICT-related objectives set by the Central Bank governors of the region.
14.02.23: Chaka Brothers donates R32,308.00 worth of cleaning materials to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family (MYSF) and the nine elderly homes.
For the homes for the elderly, the donation is composed of nine cartons of toilet cleaner, nine cartons of wipes, 18 dozens of furniture polish, 18 gallons of all-purpose cleaner, nine cartons of dishwashing liquid and nine cartons of sunflower oil.
The MYSF receives three cartons of toilet cleaner, wipes, six dozens of furniture polish and two gallons of all-purpose cleaner.
14.02.23: Russian man Dimitri Sandul, father of 17-month-old Emilyan Sandul who passed away after being left unattended in a parked car at the ‘Goals’ gymnasium car park on January 21, is sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment.
15.02.23: The Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) and the Association of Fish Processors & Exporters Seychelles (AFPES) sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in preparation for their participation in the Seafood Global EXPO that will be held in Barcelona from April 25-27, 2023.
The SFA and AFPES are in agreement to co-participate in the Seafood Global EXPO where the SFA has allocated a budget of R500,000 directly towards Seychelles and AFPES to exhibit their products at this event, which converts to approximately €33,000.
17.02.23: The Public Utilities Corporation in collaboration with the Disaster Risk Management Division and the district authorities launch a series of meetings for the general public, especially residents and business operators in the Anse Etoile and Glacis districts, to discuss the emergency preparedness plan in line with the commissioning of the La Gogue dam.
The emergency plan is in relation to mitigating the impact in case of disaster that may occur by gushing water pouring down below, caused through seepage or breaking of the dam.
17.02.23: Sam Dodin is promoted to the post of deputy commissioner of Seychelles Prison.
During the same ceremony, seven new recruits who have successfully completed their probationary phase of training are welcomed by the institution as prison officers.
17.02.23: Bel Air Hotel, the small tourism establishment which proudly stands at the Bel Eau junction, celebrates its golden anniversary.
The family-owned business which officially opened its doors in 1973 is one of the oldest Seychellois-owned hotels and has remained in the hands of the Rassool family since its opening five decades ago.
17.02.23: The Minister for Foreign Affairs & Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, hosts the annual diplomatic cocktail at the L’Escale Resort Marina & Spa in the presence of President Wavel Ramkalawan.
The event, which groups together the diplomatic and consular corps and government officials, is this year held under the theme ‘Multi-polarity ‒Seychelles’ place in the emerging world order’.
17.02.23:Eighty-four (84) post-secondary graduates who have qualified for government scholarship overseas attended an orientation meeting yesterday to learn about the country’s dynamics and career opportunities, which would be useful when making their career choice.
18.02.23: Vice-President Ahmed Afif is representing the President of the Republic, Wavel Ramkalawan, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
18.02.23 :Prospective students hoping to further their studies in Malaysia get the opportunity to interact with eight reputable university institutions based in Malaysia, through an education exhibition at the Eden Bleu Hotel.
18.02.23:Mireille Chang-Ty-Seng celebrates her 100th birthday, becoming Seychelles’ newest centenarian.
20.02.23: Commonwealth-member countries from Africa and Europe, are meeting in Seychelles to outline their area of priorities to the Commonwealth of Learning, (COL), an inter-governmental organisation that promotes learning for sustainable development.
21.02.23 : Le nouvel ambassadeur de la République de Côte d’Ivoire, Sakaria Koné présente ses lettres de créance au Président Wavel Ramkalawan.
L’Ambassadeur Koné, qui est basé à Pretoria en Afrique du Sud, est seulement le deuxième ambassadeur de la Côte d’Ivoire aux Seychelles.
21.02.23: The President’s Village in Port Glaud hosts a ceremony to thank all the ministries, non-governmental organisations, private companies as well as individuals that have contributed towards the village over the years.
The ceremony, under the theme ‘Let Your Light Shine’, kicks off with the lighting of four candles by four boys who are residents of the village, symbolising the four directions – North, South, East and West – where they come from in Seychelles and each new day in their lives.
21.02.23: The Office of the President announces the appointment of Sarah Romain as the new chief executive of the Seychelles Petroleum Company Limited (Seypec) effective from the February 1, 2023.
Mrs Romain has 27 years of experience working in both the public and private sectors.
21.02.23: Pour konmemor Lazournen Enternasyonal Lalang Maternel ki selebre tou le 21 Fevriye, Lakademi Kreol Sesel i organiz en seremoni prezantasyon pri avek bann gannyan 4enm edisyon Konkour Literer Nasyonal Regina Melanie sorti dan bann lekol leta.
22.02.23: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is signed between the Family department and the Retailers Association to formalise the adoption of the La Retraite Home for the Eldrely by the latter.
La Retraite is the fourth out of nine homes for the elderly to be formally adopted; the other ones are Praslin, Anse Boileau and Pointe Larue homes.
23.02.23: Air Seychelles announces that it has successfully passed and received its IOSA Renewal Certification this year.
This marks the tenth time the carrier has successfully achieved this renewal.
The national carrier’s first certification was obtained in 2006.
The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.
23.02.23:A group of police officers take to the streets of Victoria to spread anti-bullying messages through the distribution of different bookmarks with positive message.
The officers, mainly from the Family squad and Child Protection unit, clad in pink, share the messages to the public, to coincide with Anti-Bullying Day commemorated on every last Wednesday in February.
23.02.23: The Association of Media Practitioners Seychelles (AMPS) elects its fifth executive committee during an extraordinary meeting.
Rassin Vannier is re-elected as chairperson for a third and final mandate and the vice-chairperson is Joana Nicette. Barbara Coopoosamy retains her post as treasurer, as well as Patsy Canaya who remains as secretary.
The ordinary members are Vidya Gappy, who has been re-elected as well, and two newly elected ones – Sedwick Nicette and Rita Gay.
24.02.23: The Seychelles Heritage Resource Council of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Heritage Council of South Africa with the aim of establishing a cooperation between both parties in the fields of protection, preservation, promotion and management of natural and cultural heritage sites in Seychelles and South Africa.
24.02.23:In commemoration of its 10th anniversary, the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD) holds a special event at the Eden Bleu Hotel on Eden Island to celebrate its success and to reward its longest-serving staff, partners and founding members for their invaluable contribution and unwavering support over the past decade.
25.02.23:Lussel Labiche and Ashten Elisabeth start their life sentences at the Montagne Posée prison, after a nine-member jury found them guilty of murder and aiding and abetting to commit murder, respectively, for the killing of 21-year-old Sherleytine Ernesta, whose body was discovered in the woods at upper Bougainville on May 4, 2022.
26.02.23: The Tourism department and the destination management company (DMC) 7°South Ltd welcomes a fully-booked charter flight operated by Bulgaria Air, with 180 passengers.
The charter flight is a partnership between three Bulgarian tour operators; namely Planet Travel, Luxutour and Abxa and their local DMC 7° South.
27.02.23 : Cent quatre (104) jeunes venant des cinq pays francophones de l’Océan Indien se réunissent aux Seychelles pour participer au forum régional des jeunes sur l'entrepreneuriat dans l'économie bleue.
28.02.23: The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs recognises three of its retiring staff for their years of devotion and service to the ministry and the communities they served. They are Alice Monthy, Allain Suzette and Willy Joubert.
The Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) licenses a new non-banking service provider, the Nebula Fintech Limited, to offer payment services through Electronic money (e-money), a digital alternative to cash.
The Development Bank of Seychelles (DBS) donates R56,000 worth of IT equipment to the Seychelles Institute of Technology (SIT) as part of its ongoing 45th anniversary celebrations, commemorated on February 14.
March
01.03.23: The Health Care Agency (HCA) receives donations of vaccine equipment from the World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office and the Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS).
The WHO donates two vaccine refrigerators which will be used for the storage of vaccines, while the RCSS donates three portable ultra cold freezers.
01.03.23: Turissa Sullivan and Calvin Soubana are the recipients of the 2023 edition of the Guy Morel High Achievement Scholarship Programme offered by the Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS).
They are presented with their scholarship awards by the Governor of CBS, Caroline Abel, in a short ceremony at the CBS building in Victoria.
CBS first launched its scholarship programme in February 2018, initially offering one scholarship for undergraduate studies. The programme was revamped in September 2018 and expanded to cover postgraduate studies.
01.03.23: The Office of the President announces the appointment of Veronique Bresson as the new principal secretary (PS) for Employment with immediate effect.
Ms Bresson holds a BSc in Law with Employment Relations.
02.03.23: After undergoing a few months of renovation, the Baie Lazare police station is back in operation.
The police station had been closed since August 2022 for a complete renovation of its interior and the external structure, and work was completed by the end of last month.
02.03.23: Former Seychelles President Danny Faure is named chair of the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth of Learning (Col).
As Minister for Education at the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) held in 2000, Mr Faure mooted the idea of the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) and at the following CCEM held three years later, strongly advocated for COL to be the lead agency in implementing this initiative.
02.03.23: The Ministry of Employment & Social Affairs starts discussion with stakeholders from government ministries, departments and agencies, to get their views on a proposed Flexible Work Arrangement.
Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) is a mode of work that permits a more flexible arrangement between an employer and worker that is different from the traditional work week that most organisations operate under.
03.03.23: The Ministry of Finance, National Planning & Trade (MFNPT) hosts a ceremony to recognise and honour 46 of its long-serving staff for their loyalty, dedication, commitment and contribution.
03.03.23: The first cohort of the Marine Scholarship Programme funded by the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaption Trust, along with multiple partners receive their certificates after completing the comprehensive nine-month training.
The Marine Scholarship Programme is a project aimed at helping young adults to forge careers in the blue economy, which is the biggest growing economy in Seychelles, and to create the next generation of highly skilled professionals, innovators and stewards of the Seychelles marine environment.
03.03.23: The National Association for the Disabled receives a donation of over 60 wheelchairs through the Rotary Club of Victoria.
These wheelchairs came about through collaboration with Wheelchair For Kids Foundation, a voluntary organisation sponsored by the Rotary Club of Scarborough, Australia.
03.03.23: The Office of the President announces the appointments of the Board, Appeals Board and the chief executive (CEO) of the Home Care Agency.
Marie Celine Malbrook has been appointed as chairperson of the board and Bryan Julie as the vice-chairperson. The other board members are George Nicette, Linda Morel, Noella Vinda and Reverend Daniel Kallee (ex-officio member/CEO).
Vanessa Gill has been appointed as chairperson of the Appeals Board and the other members on the board are Patricia Rene and Julianna Augustin.
The chief executive (CEO) of the Home Care Agency is Rev. Dr Daniel Kallee.
05.03.23: A fire breaks out at the Providence landfill, precisely where the Land Waste Management Agency (LWMA) dumps old vehicle tyres.
It is the first landfill fire for this year after two fire incidents that took place last year.
06.03.23: Air Seychelles and the Tourism department sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to renew efforts into boosting inbound tourism into the Seychelles and attract travellers across the airline’s regional network.
The agreement aims to increase awareness and magnify the Seychelles experience for leisure travellers to visit the archipelago’s unique attractions.
06.03.23: The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), the Public Trust mandated to protect and manage Seychelles’ Unesco World Heritage properties Vallée de Mai and Aldabra Atoll, as well as the Fond Ferdinand Nature Reserve, revises its entrance fees to ensure that tourism remains sustainable across all sites.
07.03.23: Titan Advertising, Seychelles’ first digital outdoor advertising company, is officially launched.
Titan Advertising caters for businesses of all sizes, whether start-ups or established ones, offering them visibility and exposure for as little as R350 daily. Special packages apply to educational institutions and local artists.
08.03.23: ‘SeyBooking.com’, an online travel agency co-founded by Salim Mathieu and Daria Nitishevski, is the grand winner of a business pitching competition, organised jointly by the United Nations International Trade Centre based in Geneva, and the division of science, technology and innovation.
The competition marks the end of a business internationalisation training workshop, which started earlier in the week, with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship and building the capacity of entrepreneurs in various business techniques, including pitching.
08.03.23: To commemorate international women’s day and the bank’s newly reiterated commitment with the Women in Action and Solidarity group, Absa Bank Seychelles’ managing director Nazim Mahmood hands over a cheque for R20,000 to Rose-Mary Elizabeth, chairperson of the non-government organisation, to help in the purchase of three sewing machines.
09.03.23: Eighteen (18) Seychellois students from the ninth and tenth cohorts officially receive their bachelor's degree in a graduation ceremony held at Shannon College, Ireland, after completing their top-up degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
09.03.23: The Health Care Agency within the Ministry of Health receives a batch of medical equipment worth around R10 million from the Japanese government.
10.03.23: For the first time in its thirty-year history, the National Assembly of Seychelles officially opens for the 2023 term with a brief ceremony in which the Speaker, Hon. Roger Mancienne addresses and officially declares the assembly open.
Speaker Mancienne explains that the ceremony is being held for the first time to “affirm the importance and independence of the institution as a branch of the government of our country”.
10.03.23: Nine foreigners coming from Africa, Europe and Asia are granted Seychellois citizenship in accordance with article 12 of the constitution.
This is the first such ceremony by a group of persons who have satisfied the criteria established to obtain Seychellois citizenship, to be held before the local press.
10.03.23: Among the various activities to commemorate its 25th anniversary, the Seychelles National Youth Council organises a symposium for its staff to reflect and evaluate the role of the organisation.
10.03.23: Seychelles deposits its instrument of acceptance for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, making it the third WTO member and first African country to do so.
Acceptances from two-thirds of WTO (World Trade Organisation) members are needed for the Agreement to come into effect.
10.03.23: President Wavel Ramkalawan delivers his State-of-the-Nation address before the National Assembly, announcing that he will be holding a series of nationwide public meetings as from early April, whereby the agenda is to be established by the public, and they will have an opportunity to pose any questions and make suggestions towards the progress and development of Seychelles.
11.03.23: The Minister for Youth, Sports and Family Marie-Celine Zialor takes part in the Women of the World – WOW - festival in London in an effort to learn more about the festival and prepare to host a first-ever festival of this nature in Seychelles.
Minister Zialor was invited to the festival following a think tank meeting held in Seychelles last year in partnership with the WOW Foundation.
11.03.23: The United Seychelles’ (US) women’s league commemorates the International Women’s Day with a women’s conference with the theme ‘Kominikasyon, Koneksyon, Komitman pour Laviktwar’ (Communication, Connection and Commitment for victory’).
The new logo of the women’s forum is also launched during the event.
12.03.23 : La communauté mauricienne aux Seychelles célèbre le 55ème anniversaire de l’Indépendance de l'île Maurice et les 31 ans de la République, à Cap Lazare avec comme invité d’honneur le Président de la République des Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan et son épouse Linda Ramkalawan.
13.03.23: The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), in collaboration with the GOS-UNDP-GEF Ridge to Reef Project introduces the online ArcGIS Pro Training.
ArcGIS Pro is a full-featured professional desktop Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application. With ArcGIS Pro, users can explore, visualise, and analyse data; create 2D maps and 3D scenes; and share their work to ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise portal.
14.03.23: Philippines ambassador to Seychelles, Charlette G. Tang, presents her credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House.
Other than Seychelles Ambassador Tang will be accredited to 11 other African countries under the embassy’s jurisdiction, namely Burundi, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda
14.03.23: Newly appointed High Commissioner of Canada to Seychelles, Kyle Michael Nunas, presents his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House.
He will be based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
14.03.23: Twenty-five (25) Nouvobanq employees who have successfully completed an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance training, receive their certificates.
The course delivered by ComplioPro X is one among a series to be rolled out by the bank this year.
15.03.23 : A 500 jours des Jeux Olympiques, Paris 2024, le ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères, le réseau diplomatique et les territoires d’Outre-mer labellisés « Terre de Jeux 2024 » célèbrent le sport en organisant le « Relais autour dumonde » sur les cinq continents pendant 24 heures. Les Seychelles aussi participent à cet évènement avec le baton de relai qui est venu de Sri Lanka et qui partira maintenant en Turquie.
15.03.23: Representatives of Enterprise Seychelles Agency (Esa) and of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs (MLGCA) present eight registered fruit and vegetable vendors at Beau Vallon with their badges and t-shirts.
This is to ensure that the vendors are regulated and operating in an ethical manner.
15.03.23: A second batch of 330,000 white shrimp larvae are transferred by the Islands Development Company (IDC) to its prawn farm on Coetivy island, following its arrival from Singapore, earlier the same day.
16.03.23: A group of local journalists learn more on the country’s Fisheries Transparency Initiative report for 2021 through a workshop organised by the Danny Faure Foundation.
The half-day workshop ran by the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) under the theme ‘Using FiTI Reports for Informed Journalism’, is also to empower the journalists to use FiTI reports as a source of information in their reporting and to identify the limitations they face in researching and writing fisheries stories.
16.03.23: Fondasyon Kiltirel Seselwa (FKS) launches the 2nd Konkour Sanson Tradisyonnel – a music reality competition television series which is about recognising and in a way rewarding the most creative young Seychellois who believes and feels part of their ancestors, its culture and music.
17.03.23: The nutritional value and dietary benefits of millets, one of the oldest cereal grains in the world, are highlighted in an event dubbed ‘Mighty Millets’.
Organised by the Indian high commission, the event is to generate awareness about the group of cereal grains that belong to the Poaceae family, commonly known as the grass family.Millets comprise a diverse group of cereals including pearl, proso, foxtail, barnyard, little, kodo, browntop, finger among others.
20.03.23: The Anti-Corruption Commission Seychelles (ACCS) and the Seychelles Prison Service sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further develop their partnership in creating anti-corruption awareness and addressing corruption within the prison setting.
20.03.23 : Le président de la Commission Nationale de la Francophonie, David André, donne le coup d’envoie des activités de la Fête de la Francophonie.
Lors de cette célébration, M. André annonce que les Seychelles sont sélectionnées pour les prochains Jeux de la Francophonie qui auront lieu à Kinshasa en République Démocratique du Congo dans les 2 volets : culture et sport.
21.03.23: The new ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Seychelles, Henry Jardine, presents his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House.
Ambassador Jardine, who is also the US ambassador-designate to the Republic of Mauritius, will be based in the latter’s capital, Port Louis. He replaces Ambassador David Riemer who was accredited to our country on February 6, 2018.
21.03.23 : Pour commémorer la Journée mondiale de la poésie une nouvelle association – ‘Telegraf’ – est lancée.
Le but de l’association est de regrouper les poètes et de transmettre les connaissances pour mieux aider les enfants.
21.03.23: His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden and Her Majesty Queen Sylvia visit La Plaine St André, the home of Takamaka Rum.
The delegation enjoy a private tour by the founding Seychellois brothers, Richard and Bernard d’Offay, who present them with a bottle of their limited edition Le Clos St André series.
It is engraved with a personalized message to Their Majesties as memorabilia of their visit to the distillery.
21.03.23: En nouvo liv zistwar avek tit ‘Justin’ ekrir par Selby Remy i lanse ofisyelman.
Annefe sa i premye liv ekrir par Msye Remy.
‘Justin’ i en proze personnel pour sa ekriven ki dir in pran li 3-an pour ekrir e pibliy son liv zistwar.
21.03.23: Baháʼís of Seychelles join with Baháʼís around the world to celebrate their New Year or Naw-Rúz, marking the first day of the Baháʼí calendar.
Naw-Rúz, which is Persian for ‘New Day’, is a holy day for the Baháʼís.
23.03.23: A group of people get a chance to see the new La Gogue dam up close in an open day organised by the Public Utilities Corporation to mark World Water Day on March 22.
They are able to tour the new infrastructure and see the work done to raise the dam by six metres, subsequently increasing its capacity by 60%.
23.03.23: Cable and Wireless Seychelles and Airtel Seychelles sign a memorandum of understanding with the Seychelles Meteorological Authority, agreeing to issue early warnings to the population through their SMS services for free.
24.03.23: The Ministry of Education in partnership with SEGI University and Colleges of Malaysia host a school leadership seminar entitled ‘Leading and facilitating school-based reform and changes for better outcomes’.
The seminar is targeting subject coordinators and deputy head teachers from public schools.
24.03.23: The Ministry of Lands and Housing opens its new Land Registration Project (LRP) office on Praslin.
The new office is located on the ground floor of the Pension Fund Building at Grand Anse Praslin.
24.03.23: Police officers Antoine Denousse and Ned Wirtz are appointed as assistant commissioners of the Seychelles Police Force.
The two assistant commissioners of police (ACPs) receive their ranks and certificates of appointment by Commissioner of Police Ted Barbe and the Minister for Internal Affairs, Roy Fonseka, in a short ceremony at State House in the presence of President Wavel Ramkalawan.
24.03.23: Eighteen-year-old Jean-Luc Barra of Bel Air is the winner of the President’s Cup for the cohort 2020-2022 of the School of Business Studies Academy, who completed their studies last year.
Jean-Luc receives his award from President Wavel Ramkalawan during the institution’s graduation ceremony.
24.03.23: Eleven not for profit civil society organisations are awarded funding for their projects under the first call for proposals for the 2023 grant cycle under the National Grants Funding Scheme (NGFS).
The grants’ main objective is to bring about positive impact in the communities.
25.03.23: The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA) Research Unit conducts the second round of the Giant Aldabra Tortoise census, with the support of some thirty staff from H.Savy Insurance and Absa Bank Seychelles.
The mass census was launched in February with the aim of obtaining a near to exact figure of the tortoise population on the island, and is vital to help SPGA understand the population trend, and tortoises movement and distribution on the island.
25.03.23: Jobseekers from the southern and western regions get the chance to register for employment at a one-day fair organised at the Anse Boileau playing field by the Employment department.
This is the first in a series of sensitisation job fairs planned this year by the department in collaboration with its key partners, namely businesses and employment-related services.
25.03.23: Airtel Seychelles launches its new Home Broadband Unlimited internet.
The launch forms part of activities to mark the company’s silver jubilee celebration this year.
26.03.23: The Voice of Africa, featuring eight singing talents from Seychelles, hit the airwaves and is broadcast on SBC 1 for local viewers.
The competition, an initiative of Airtel Africa and Airtel Seychelles, launched in October last year, features participants from 13 African countries, and the popular music and entertainment show airs in over 180 countries worldwide.
27.03.23: Seychelles launches the Port Victoria Management Information System (PVMIS) project, inching closer to becoming compliant with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) regulations by the January 2024 deadline.
The project, which comprises two main components – the Administrations Management Information System applicable to the internal processes, and the communal Port Operations Management Information System – will serve to digitalise manual port documentations and operations, and give Seychelles a Maritime Single Window (MSW) platform.
27.02.23: Ambassador Claude Morel presents his credential to the President of the Maldives, Ibrahim Solih, as Seychelles’ non-resident high commissioner (HC) to the Maldives.
27.03.23: The Social Affairs department launches an inter-school competition to design a logo for the 3-digit Children’s helpline, 116.
27.03.23: A new fuel depot at the Victoria Fishing Port is inaugurated by the Designated Minister and Minister for Fisheries & the Blue Economy, Jean-François Ferrari, and French ambassador to Seychelles, Olivia Berkeley-Christmann.
The new and modern fuel depot was built to cater for the 77 registered boat owners that purchase fuel at the Victoria Fuel Depot.
27.02.23 : Le nouveau Nonce Apostolique pour Madagascar et les îles de l'Océan Indien, Son Excellence, Monseigneur Tomasz Grysa, présente sa lettre de nomination à son Excellence Monseigneur Alain Harel, Évêque du diocèse de Port-Victoria
28.03.23: The Office of the President announces the appointment of Lydia Charlie as acting Mayor of Victoria from April 1, 2023 until such time that the legislation is enacted for the appointment of an elected Mayor.
Ms Charlie’s appointment follows the recommendations of the members of the Association of the Districts of Victoria.
28.02.23 : Monseigneur Tomasz Grysa, le nouveau nonce apostolique du Vatican auprès des Seychelles, présente ses lettres de créance au Président Wavel Ramkalawan à la State House.
Il remplace Monseigneur Paolo Rocco Gualtieri qui a été accrédité aux Seychelles le 8 mars 2016.
28.02.23: President Wavel Ramkalawan receives a signed copy of the first edition of a book entitled ‘Koze Koze’, designed by Shirley-Huizhong Yu.
‘Koze Koze’ is about 18 artists from different types of art including visual art, music, poetry, writing as well as dance and architecture, among others. It is set as a conversation between two friends talking about their childhood and upbringing, answering question like ‘What made you pursue this field of art?’
28.02.23: The high commission of Sri Lanka hosts a reception at the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa, Beau Vallon to commemorate the 75th Independence Day of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
28.03.23: The new Turkish ambassador, Sabutay Yüksel, presents his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House.
He takes this opportunity to officially thank the people of Seychelles for their generous contribution following the earthquakes that have badly hit 11 provinces and affected 12 million people in his country.
28.03.23: Six students from the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA) board the coast guard boat Saya de Malha to take part in the second Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) clean-up expedition.
During their voyage the crew will physically collect and remove debris washed up in the reef, lagoons and on the shores of outer islands.
29.03.23: The three ships of the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron, currently on a visit to Seychelles, donate machinery spares and defence gear to the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG), as per the latter’s request, to maintain and upkeep of its vessels.
The equipment include parts of various pumps, AC system, oil, ropes, paints and protective clothing gear for SCG personnel.
29.03.23: The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority honours five companies and tour operators for their contribution towards the Ste Anne Marine Park, as part of celebrations for the marine park’s golden Jubilee.
The five comprise Teddy’s Glass bottom boat services, the Marine Charter Association, Mason’s Travel, Creole Travel Services and 7 degrees south.
They receive their Recognition Award from Bernadette Willemin, the vice-chairperson of the SPGA’s board of directors.
30.03.23: The Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) officially receives two Maritime Video Downlink Systems from the United States of America (US).
The system, which is capable of transmitting live images from airborne surveillance assets to multiple receive sites, have been installed on the two Seychelles Airforce Dorniers.
The donation supports shared US and Seychelles’ goals in strengthening regional maritime security.
31.03.23: President Wavel Ramkalawan receives a copy of the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission’s final report.
31.03.23: Air Seychelles celebrates 25 years of operations between Seychelles and Mauritius.
First launched in March 1998, Air Seychelles currently operates twice weekly flights to Mauritius with additional flights made available during the peak seasons.
31.03.23: The chief registration officer, Sheena Boniface, certifies the 2023 voters’ register as per the annual legal requirement, and presents it to the chief electoral officer, Manuella Amesbury.
The number of confirmed registered candidates on Register 2023, including new registrations, stands at 73,455, which include 37,672 female and 35,783 male.
The number is slightly lower than the 2022 voters’ register, when it was 73,849.
31.03.23: The Ministry of Education launches ‘Ethics Education’ in state schools.
Ethics education entails the use of Transformative pedagogy in selected Personal Social and Citizenship Education and Religious Education classes, with the aim of changing the behaviour of children, allowing them to develop respect and tolerance for people of different religious and cultural background creating a society where people live in peace.
31.03.23: A group of 13 deserving young graduand