Subios – underwater festival November 21- 23 |22 November 2014

‘Let’s ensure what we have underwater is maintained for the future’

The Seychelles underwater festival, more popularly known as Subios, was launched yesterday evening during a ceremony held at Eden Bleu Hotel at Eden Island.
Addressing everyone gathered for the event, Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange appealed to all Seychellois to ensure what we have under our waters is maintained for the future.

“Let us ensure that what visitors come here to see, the unique setting that makes Seychelles the paradise islands they are; protected and ensure visitors in years to come continue to appreciate the same clear turquoise blue sea that makes Seychelles so appealing to every visitor to our shores,” Minister St Ange pointed out.

He said the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) is committed to working with the divers’ association, the tourism ministry and the government to ensure Seychelles continues along the path set by President James Michel to have Seychelles seen and respected as good custodian of what we have been blessed with.

Guests present for the opening of the underwater festival included the ministers from the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) in the country to attend a ministerial meeting, members of the diplomatic corps, key government officials, members of the tourism trade, friends of the sea who travel here year after year for the festival and school children winners of the Subios poetry competition.

Minister St Ange said when Subios was first conceived and launched in 1990 “the idea was clear and the mission set: “We need firstly us Seychellois to appreciate what we have under the sea for us to know what exist so that we can better care for it,” he told everyone present. “Thus the idea behind the underwater festival,” he added.

Minister St Ange addressing guests at the launch ceremony

“Today 24 years later the STB is looking at remodelling the festival to move it with time so that we continue to achieve the mission of ensuring that every Seychellois and every visitor to our shores are updated about what lies under our sea,” Minister St Ange pointed out.

He pointed out that an exhibition put up by the STB and its team to retrace the story of Subios from conception to the present day aims to help us remember where we come from to better appreciate where we are in order to be able to move forward with a clear vision in line with the policy of the government with regard to the concept of conservation,” said Minister St Ange.

Minister St Ange pointed out that Subios enables visitors and locals alike to go under the sea but as many locals dive, Subios was also conceived to allow more Seychellois to better appreciate what we have in the underwater world.

As the 2014 Subios opens “it is important to say thank you to the diving community as they continue to take our guests under the sea to continue to appreciate this big ocean which is today being called the blue economy of Seychelles which the tourism industry so depends on,” Minister St Ange pointed out.
 
For her part the STB chief executive Sherin Naiken said “our beloved Subios, now in its 24th edition, has done us proud and has brought many prominent underwater film makers, photographers and alumni from the underwater world to our shores over many years.  I can state with confidence that this event has introduced many visitors and locals alike to the wonders beneath the waves.”

“It is against this backdrop of success that we are now examining how we can make the big silver 25th anniversary of Subios next year even more relevant to the needs of our tourism industry by turning it into an invaluable tool for promoting Seychelles worldwide as an amazing diving destination,” added Ms Naiken.

During the opening ceremony guests were able to enjoy a slide show of the underwater world on the big screen courtesy of Elizabeth Fideria from the Big Blue Dive Centre.

An exhibition tracing the history of Subios also captivated the attention of guests.

Seychellois singer Joe Samy enthralled guests with his song so fitting for the occasion entitled ‘Ocean Child’.

Winners of the Subios poetry competition also read their poems. The IOR ministers also present at the event received a book of the underwater world to remind them of the event for years to come.

Subios festival continues over the weekend with a host of activities and is expected to end tomorrow evening.