Giant tortoises our special gift to Shanghai fair |30 July 2009

An agreement for the donation was signed on Tuesday in Shanghai by Philippe Le Gall, Seychelles’ ambassador to China, and Hong Hao, director general of the Shanghai Expo Bureau.

Mr Hong recalled that in March last year, he and Mr Le Gall signed a contract for Seychelles to take part in Expo 2010.

“Now, 16 months later, we are very happy that we can sign the agreement for the donation of the giant tortoises by the Seychelles government to the Shanghai Expo,” he said.

“I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Seychelles government, especially the Department of Environment and Ambassador Le Gall and his work team, for their great support for the Shanghai Expo.
 
“Seychelles has given its national animal – the giant tortoise – as a present to Shanghai for the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. This reflects the sincere friendship that Seychelles bears towards China and Shanghai, as well as its best wishes for bilateral relations.”

Mr Hong said animal specialists will handle the transport of the tortoises according to their living conditions and habits. They will create a favourable environment for the tortoises, which will in turn be of great interest to visitors to Shanghai and symbolise the friendship between China and Seychelles.

Mr Le Gall said he wished to congratulate the municipal government and the people of Shanghai for their remarkable collective achievement in staging the Expo.

He thanked all those concerned for the particular attention they have paid to developing countries, particularly African nations, taking part in the World Expo.

“When my President, James Michel, met Chairman Wu Bangguo in Seychelles last November, he assured him that after taking part with joy and pride in the Beijing Olympic Games, the Shanghai World Expo would be one of the next big international commitments for Seychelles,” he said.

“I am very glad to note, regarding our national pavilion, that things are moving fast and smoothly in the right direction.”
 
Mr Le Gall said Seychellois have a very special and close relationship with giant tortoises, which outnumber the country’s human population.

“For us, offering a pair of giant land tortoises is a mark of exceptional friendship. It is also a mark of long-lasting friendship as Seychelles giant land tortoises are among the oldest living animals on earth, with a life expectancy that can reach 250 years.

“So it is a symbol of strength, good health and longevity that we want to share with our Chinese friends.”

Two Seychellois journalists who were in Shanghai – Srdjana Janosovic of the State House press office and Antoine Onezime of the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation – were also invited to attend the signing ceremony.

A delegation from Shanghai World Expo and the Shanghai municipal government is expected to visit Seychelles next month to finalise all the technical aspects of the agreement.