Reaction of deputy general commissioner of the Seychelles pavilion at Expo 2020 |01 April 2022

The Seychelles team in celebration mode

‘Gold award a well-deserved reward for our hard work‘

▪ Our way of living a sustainable culture now recognised by the world

The gold award that small Seychelles has received at the Dubai Expo 2020 is a well-deserved reward for the country’s team and it is the fruit of our dedication, perseverance shown through long, tough hours of work in a foreign country.

This was said by Galen Bresson, deputy general commissioner of the Seychelles pavilion.

Giving his reaction to Seychelles NATION yesterday, a day after Seychelles won the gold award for best sustainable district interior design of the pavilion, Mr Bresson added that “for Seychelles, a small island state, it is a big thing as it proves that our way of living a sustainable culture is now recognised on the world scale and we must continue to strive so as not to lose our cultural heritage”.

He described the moment he went up to collect the award as one that he will never forget.

“I have no word to describe how I felt as I was not expecting it. It was like I was in a dream but I am overjoyed and so are members of the team who have worked with me all those months,” he said.

“It is really the fruit of our hard work, months away from home and family members. It has really been a long journey, painful at times fraught with loneliness too and criticism from those who did not really understand what was happening and what we were doing there all these months,” Mr Bresson said.

He explained that the pavilions were evaluated on: design based on pavilion theme and expo theme, quality of exhibits, relevance to sustainability, functionality, presentation, interface with external designs and adaptation post pandemic i.e. space allowed for visitors’ movement inside the pavilion etc…

Mr Bresson noted that visitors from near and far have come to experience the Seychelles islands through the pavilion and during the final days of the expo, Seychelles’ pavilion had recorded a total of 709,660 visitors.

Mr Bresson has expressed his gratitude to all those who have helped in any way to contribute to the success at the expo – the government of Seychelles and that of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Art, the different ministries in Seychelles and all the different organisations and individuals who contributed to Seychelles’ success and participation in such a big international event.

Meanwhile, President Wavel Ramkalawan has presented his heartiest congratulations to the Seychelles Expo 2020 team upon winning the gold award for best sustainable district interior design.

Said President Ramkalawan: “As one of the smallest island nations participating in this event, this is truly a proud moment for our islands. On behalf of the government and on my personal behalf I wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Seychelles Expo 2020 organising committee, artists, contributors, participants and our teams on the ground in Dubai who have throughout the months ensured our participation at this event is a success. This award is a culmination of your hard work and devotion, in not only showcasing the beauty and uniqueness of our country to the world but in also displaying how sustainability has been integrated into our way of life. Thank you all for raising our Seychelles flag the highest in yet another new international sphere. Once again congratulations!”

Soon after Seychelles was awarded the gold medal, President Ramkalawan, who was in Dubai, phoned Mr Bresson to extend his congratulations and appreciation to the team.

Six months after the delayed opening of the $7 billion, purpose-built site, Dubai shuttered Expo 2020 with a colourful closing ceremony punctuated by fireworks yesterday.

Christina Aguilera, Nora Jones and cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed at the LCD-lit Al Wasl Dome, Expo's centrepiece, as pyrotechnics lit up the sprawling site.

Millions of people have flocked to Expo's 192 country pavilions in its final days, pushing visit numbers to over 23 million ‒ not far off the 25 million targeted, despite the ongoing pandemic.

The Expo, housed on a circular site twice the size of Monaco, has been a point of pride for Dubai's monarchical rulers and one of a number of projects aimed at grabbing world attention.

It opened on October 1, 2021.

Marie Anne Lepathy / Office of the President