Seychelles set to launch two new festivals in May and June

SEYCHELLES SET TO HOST ZIKANZIL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN MAY, LAUNCHES MIND, SPIRIT AND BODY FESTIVAL IN JUNE

The Seychelles will host their first ever international music festival Zikanzil next week. The festival will bring together regional artists from Seychelles and the Indian Oceans Vanilla Islands, as well as from the Lebanon.

The festival organizers are aiming to include the event as one of the main cultural festivals alongside the Carnival International de Victoria and the Festival Kreol in the annual calendar of happenings on the archipelago.

The program will launch on the May 15th with its first concert featuring three popular names from the Seychelles musical scene. Singer, song-writer David Andre will be performing alongside the talented artist Patrick Victor and folklore artist Joe Samy. On the 16th musician and poet from La Reunion, Emmanuelle Peters will be performing in duo with singer, songwriter and poet Rene Sida at theNational Theatre, Mont Fleuri. Composer, teacher and music therapist from Madagascar, Linda Volahasiniaina alias Vola and Michel Rafaralahy alias Mi’mozi, will perform together. Vola will relive the best of the Malagay music of Valiha, Kabaosa and Aponga. Joel Manglou, from La Reunion will make his first debut on the Seychelles scene on the 17th, with a fusion of musical vibes, along with Seychellois artist Jude Ally. Manglous style is described as being like the Piton de la Fournaise of his native island ”sometimes languorous, sometimes explosive.

The International Music Festival will end on the 19th, with Jany de Letourdie, Ralf and Abaji in concert, three different styles and three powerful artists, each one echoing their diversity. Although Jany and Ralf remain unbeatable as the two local stars of the Seychelles Islands, Abaji who has just released his fifth album and is the author of several TV and Cinema musical compositions, is hitherto unknown to the Seychellois public. Abaji was born in Lebanon from an Armenian-Greek father from Smyrna and an Armenian-Syrian mother born in Istanbul. The festival will be a great opening for him to reveal his talent.

The Zikanzil Festival is organized by the Alliance Française in partnership of the Seychelles Tourism Board, the National Arts Council, the Seychelles Broadcasting Corperation, Emirates, Airtel, Air Austral, the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, Classic Design and Le Triskell.

Meanwhile are final preparations in high gear as the Seychelles are also in the process to launch another new innovative event in June 2012 the Seychelles International Mind, Body and Spirit Festival. The festival is bound to offer participants a new perspective on the increasingly popular Mind Body and Spirit theme that continues to gain popularity around the world. The Seychelles festival will however add a new dimension over the original theme with the events and exhibitors not staying put at just one venue but going out to a number of different islands. This will take place over a ten-day period during which time visitors and Seychelles residents alike can enjoy activities as:

– De-stress and Self Empowerment techniques for the mind

– Spa, Pampering and gentle physical exercises like Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates for the Body

– Musicians and Artists.

All this can be achieved whilst enjoying the globally acclaimed pristine environment that Seychelles is renowned for, pampered by either 5 star resorts leaving nothing to be desired as well as more affordable accommodation in guest houses or self catering establishments. The all embracing range of free and affordable events will help boost the personal health and wellbeing, enabling clients to re-discover themselves and re-charge whilst exploring this Garden of Eden. For further information on the festival, email enquiries@SeychellesMindBodySpirit.com

Seychelles, truly Another World. Dont miss the inaugural editions of these latest events the Seychelles are putting on to spice up a holiday of a life time even more.