India navy confirms ship will be in Port Victoria for carnival days

The Indian Military Attaché based in the Seychelles has today confirmed that an Indian Navy Ship will make a call to Port Victoria in the Seychelles in the spirit of solidarity with the island nation in its drive to rid the shipping routes off the African Coast of the plague of piracy.

The Seychelles and La Reunion Islands are jointly hosting the 2012 Carnival of Carnivals that will be held in Seychelles from March 2-4. The carnival is known around the world as the Carnival of Carnivals because of the uniqueness of this Vanilla Islands Carnival that attracts the best and most known carnivals to parade alongside each other and with the cultural groups from the Community of Nations. “Diversity in a theme of the melting pot of cultures has ensured that the world descends on Seychelles for this unique event. The 2012 edition will be even more diverse as many new countries have now confirmed their participation,” said Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

But Seychelles and La Reunion Island have inserted a serious side to their mid-ocean carnival. The UNWTO Secretary General, Mr. Taleb Rifai is personally traveling to the Seychelles to deliver a tourism message on opening day of this unique carnival, and navy ships from the Community of Nations have also been invited to dock in Seychelles, and for them to march in the carnival procession to send a message of the world’s resolve against the plague of piracy affecting the shipping routes off the East African Coast. “In the 2011 edition of the carnival in Seychelles, many navies were part of the carnival procession. We are hoping that for the 2012 edition, we shall again have that support to echo to the world that enough is enough, and something needs to be done to rid the Indian Ocean of Somali Pirates,” Alain St.Ange said.

Seychelles has now received confirmation that India has dispatched a navy ship to Seychelles for that show of solidarity in response to letters of invitation dispatched to the Community of Nations. “Seychelles is thrilled to receive the confirmation that India navy will be in our midst for the 2012 Carnival. For this, we say thank you India,” Alain St.Ange said on hearing the news that India had confirmed that a ship would be in Port Victoria for the carnival days.