Celebrating 125 years of heritage, community and belonging |24 July 2026
2026 is a most significant milestone for Seychelles, being the year of the 50th anniversary of Independence, an occasion that has brought the nation together through several activities, notably the ceremony in Stad Linite on June 28 – 29.
By a happy coincidence, 2026 also marks a noteworthy anniversary – the 125th anniversary of the oldest still functioning officially-registered association in the country. The predecessor of the Chinese Association of Seychelles – the Khum Fock Fooy Qoon ‘friendly society’ – received its charter of incorporation from Administrator Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott on September 16, 1901, two years after the request had been made. The society changed its name to the Chinese Association and Union of Seychelles in 1943. The “union” part of the name was dropped at a later date.
Since its inception, the Association has had its seat in Benezet Street, initially in a wooden house replaced in 1902 by a two-storey masonry building which itself gave way to a new building opened in 2022. The building is named the Seychelles Chinese Cultural Centre, but it has also retained its traditional popular name of “Pagoda”. The Pagoda will be the centre for several commemorative activities later this year.
The programme, however, has already opened with the launch of two activities in June 2026. The first is an essay competition for primary (P4-P6) and secondary school students, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education & Human Resource Development. Seychellois students of all backgrounds are invited to write an essay on the theme ‘The Chinese in Me’. Information on the competition has been sent to schools by the ministry.
An exhibition with the title ‘3 Chinese Photographers +’ will be held in September in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Arts and National Heritage. It will centre on the work of 3 veteran photographers of Chinese origin who, for several decades, captured moments in the life of Seychelles and the Seychellois. As an addition to the main exhibition, photos of Seychellois of Chinese parentage (including mixed parentage) with an interest in photography will be displayed. Persons interested in participating can contact michael.fayon@gmail.com.
The closing date for both the essay competition and photography exhibition is July 31, 2026.
The Chinese Association of Seychelles intends that the commemoration of this 125th anniversary will not only be for and by itself but that it reaches out to the whole country. It will be a celebration of not only the enduring spirit of community among Seychellois of Chinese origin but also of their strong sense of belonging to the wider society and the heritage shared by all Seychellois.
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