Hawaii attending the Seychelles Carnival International

It is said in Hawaii that “the fresh, floral air energizes you. The warm, tranquil waters refreshes you. The breathtaking, natural beauty renews you. There’s no place on Earth like it – whether you’re a new visitor or returning, our unique islands offer distinct experiences that will entice any traveler. We warmly invite you to explore our islands and discover your ideal travel experience.” The Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, on its part prides itself that its enviable climate is always warm and without extremes. Seychelles tourism says that it is in the background of this tropical haven that the Creole Islands, Seychelles, have been given the name of the land of perpetual summer. All but the Seychelles remotest southern islands lie comfortably outside the cyclone belt making Seychelles a year-round destination for sun worshippers and beach lovers. This assesment, says Hawaii, applies to both Hawaii and the Seychelles.

It is commonly known that practically every nation on Earth had been invited to be represented in the newest carnival set to take place in the Creole Islands of the Seychelles, situated right in the middle of the Indian Ocean. This new carnival is being organized under the theme of “the melting pot of cultures,” beause the community of nations are descending on the Seychelles to showcase their own attractions, culture, and diversity by contributing, through a carnival float, their own special influence to today’s vibrant yet tranquil society.

The spirit of the “Carnival International de Victoria” has been inspired by the Seychelles islands’ grand diversity of cultural influences and ethnic diversity with racial harmony, which remains the mainstays of today’s vibrant, and yet tranquil, island nation of the Seychelles for which harmony is simply a way of life.

The main instigator behind Hawaii’s participation in the Seychelles carnival said that anyone would be correct to think that the above description reflected the state of Hawaii. But they also said, “This is also the Republic of the Seychelles, which is 15,000 miles away from Hawaii but yet both so similar.” The Hawaii Tourism Association and the Seychelles Tourism Board are bringing together these two most remote places on Earth that are more than 15,000 miles apart.

Hawaii has confirmed that it will proudly be parading the US and Hawaiian flags alongside the long list of participants for the 2011 Seychelles “Carnaval International de Victoria.” On receiving Hawaii’s confirmation, the Seychelles Tourism Board’s Chief Executive Officer, Alain St.Ange, has again said that visitors to Seychelles, and the Seychellois public alike, are in for one of the biggest manifestations ever to take place in Seychelles.

A total of 21 international floats and 46 local companies are now preparing to dazzle the streets of Victoria, the world’s smallest capital, on March 5 in a procession, which will provide great animation and surprises. The different international floats will each have their own themes, which will heighten the ambiance and add a multitude of colors to the carnival. The Seychellois public and visitors who will line the streets from Plaisance to the various roads in the town center should expect to see an explosion of colors and sounds and lots of happy faces. The entertainment program for all three days of carnival activities will be one of the best, with a blend of international guest artists and bands and a host of local singers. “The center of Victoria will literally come to a halt for three days, and people will party in the streets like they’ve never done before. It’s going to be a celebration only seen before on TV but now coming in reality to Seychelles,” said Mr. St.Ange, who added that a lot of people are working very hard to ensure that the event will eventually crown the excitement that is building up.

Probably for the first time in the world of carnivals, so many international navies will be involved and will also participate in the carnival alongside international world bodies.

The Seychelles presented to the “community of nations” some seven months ago that it was launching a carnival with a difference. “It is a carnival for the world, and it is a carnival where the world is invited to be represented with their own respective carnival floats to showcase their strenghts and their culture,” Alain St.Ange said when he launched the Seychelles carnival to the press in mid 2010.

Juergen T. Steinmetz, President of the Hawaiian Tourism Association, will be presenting the Hawaiian and US flags, together with Hawaiian flower leis to a group of Seychelles school children who will represent the Aloha state. On his part, Alain St.Ange said that Hawaii remains synonymous with the birthplace of US President Mr. Obama and with tourism, and he said he was sure that the participation of Hawaii at the 2011 Seychelles “Carnaval International de Victoria” will make the Seychelles more known in the Hawaii and in the USA, and maybe even get an American warship to join the other navy ships gathering in Seychelles for the 2011 carnival as a show of force to spell out the world’s determination to keep the shipping routes in the Indian Ocean free of “Somali Pirates.”