Senegal | Country Gallery | Its nature, people, culture and cities

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

SAINT-LOUIS: UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE

Saint-Louis' characteristic colonial architecture along with its regular town plan, its location on an island at the mouth of the Senegal River and the system of quays, gives Saint-Louis the distinctive appearance and identity that have raised the Island to the rank of world heritage since 2000. The Island of Saint-Louis is inscribed on the World Heritage list:

The historic town of Saint-Louis exhibits an important exchange of values and influences on the development of education and culture, architecture, craftsmanship, and services in a large part of West Africa.

Island of Saint-Louis*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party Senegal
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv
Reference 956
Region** Africa
Inscription history
Inscription 2000 (24th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
** Region as classified by UNESCO.

[Hadrami]

THE ISLAND OF ST-LOUIS:
is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, it exhibits an important exchange of values and influences on the development of education and culture, architecture, craftsmanship, and services in a large part of West Africa.

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

Some more pics of Saint-Louis:

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

FESMAN 2010: World Festival of Black Arts and Culture



Initiated by President Léopold Sédar Senghor, the first edition of the World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures was held in Dakar in 1966. The first Festival brought together people from all generations and disciplines in order to make the rest of the world aware of the struggle and persistence of Black peoples in the face of colonization. In 1977, Nigeria hosted the second edition.

The 2010 Festival conveys a new vision of Africa as free, proud, creative and optimistic. With Brazil as the guest of honour, which is a country rich with artistic cross-pollination and cultural diversity, the Festival will emphasize dialogue between peoples and cultures.

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

[Hadrami]

1st FESMAN EDITION IN 1966 IN SENEGAL



2ND FESMAN EDITION in 1977 IN NIGERIA



3RD FESMAN EDITION in 2010 IN SENEGAL

[Hadrami]

PICS OF THE OPENING CEREMONY with high ranking guests:

[Hadrami]

OPENING CEREMONY

[Hadrami]

BRAZIL IS GUEST OF HONOUR

... of the third World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures, providing guests with the opportunity to discover Brazil’s rich African heritage.

With 80 million Black or mixed-race inhabitants, Brazil is the epitome of cultural diversity. The richness of Brazil’s culture will be represented in all of the disciplines comprising the Festival.
The country will also stage two musical shows: The Brazilian Show will feature a variety of Brazilian musicians and musical styles, while The Lusofonia Party will honour all Portuguese-speaking countries.

The celebration will also feature the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira, dance performances and a festive parade. Of course, the party would not be complete without the aromas and flavours of Brazil: restaurants will feature a variety of Brazilian specialities such as moqueca and caruru.

[Hadrami]

High-Powered U.S. Delegation Heading For World Festival Of Black Arts In Senegal


African-American Artists, Mayors, Senators, Scientists To Participate

For only the third time in 50 years, an unprecedented gathering of black artists, writers, filmmakers, academics, scientists, and other leaders in many fields will convene in Africa for an historic celebration. The World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures, under the auspices of President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and his fellow African leaders, begins Dec. 10 in Dakar, Senegal, and will continue through Dec. 31.

A high-powered U.S. delegation of more than 200 African-American leaders will participate in the Festival, including groups from the National Conference of Black Mayors, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, and the African American Unity Caucus (AAUC), who will travel to Senegal from Dec. 8 -- 17 for the event.

In all, thousands of delegates from 80 countries will converge on Dakar.
Among U.S. delegates are Dr. Julius Garvey, son of Marcus Garvey; actor Richard Gant; jazz legend Randy Weston; Professor James Turner, Cornell University; Dr. Johnetta Cole, Director of the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution; Professor Leonard Jeffries, City University of New York; Runoko Rashidi, noted historian; Dr. Elsie Scott, the President & CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Mississippi State Sen. Frazier Hillman; New York State Sen. Bill Perkins; Columbus (Ohio) Mayor Michael B. Coleman; Wayne Watson, president, Chicago State University; and Ron Himes, founder/director, The Saint Louis Black Repertory Theater.

In a letter to members of the delegation, President Wade said he looked forward to welcoming them to Senegal. "The African Union has requested that Senegal organize the Festival, which will be the largest global gathering to date of black artists, writers, filmmakers, intellectuals, scientists and other luminaries, and we anticipate that people will travel from all over the world for the occasion,'' said President Wade.

One highly anticipated event is a discussion involving President Wade and members of the National Conference of Black Mayors, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education and the National Basketball Association/Africa (NBA/Africa) at the recently completed Monument of African Renaissance on the theme of African Renaissance, looking towards the creation of the United States of Africa in 2017, as declared by the African Union.

While in Senegal, the delegation will meet privately with President Wade and participate in myriad Festival activities, including attending concerts by Rihanna, Jay-Z, Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N'Dour, and Baaba Maal; a soccer match between Senegal and Brazil; a visit to Gorée Island, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in commemoration of the painful history of the Atlantic slave trade; and participation in the Forum on African Renaissance.

www.allafrica.com

[Hadrami]

Mauritanian president to attend opening of FESMAN in Dakar
Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – The Mauritanian president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, left Nouakchott on Friday for Dakar, the Senegalese capital, to attend the opening ceremony of the Third World festival of Black Arts (FESMAN), official sources told PANA.

Haitian Artists to Represent at FESMAN 2010
[Haitian Times Showbiz] – A dozen Haitian artists from various artistic trends, participate, from December 10 to 31 at the 3rd World Festival of Negro Arts (Fesman), to be held in Senegal, said the singer Chantal Drice, Coordinator Haitian participation in this global cultural event.

African youth should not engage in music for "the bling-bling"or "pretty girls ", but for their country to "move forward”, said Wyclef Jean, the American Hip-hop star, born in Haiti.

His speech on Friday evening at the opening of the 3rd World Festival of Negro Arts (FESMAN) in Dakar, was addressed mainly to “all the young African hip-hop artists.” His advice to them: “Don't imitate what you see in the West, the big bottle of champagne... etc.”

He spoke to a crowd filling up half of the largest stadium in Dakar before the start of a concert with the biggest stars of African music: Manu Dibango, Senegalese Youssou Ndour, Baaba Mal, Ismael Lo, the Benin's Angelique Kidjo and even the South African Mahotella Queens.


During his speech, the 41-year-old musician paid tribute to the Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade for taking care of more than 150 Haitian students in Senagal, following the earthquake that killed more than 250,000 in Haiti in January.

"If you want to know what Haiti looks like, look at me: Haiti is splendid, strong, youthful, Haiti is Africa," Jean proudly said.

Source: AFP/YouTube

Tunisia will attend third World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar

TUNISIAONLINENEWS- Tunisia will attend the 3 rd World Festival of Negro Arts (FESMAN III), which runs from December 10 to 31, 2010 in Dakar (Senegal).

Some sixty countries will be represented in the various events planned in the cities of Dakar and Saint Louis.

Tunisia’s participation will be marked in the sector of music, by a musical concert dubbed “TARG” -a musical research combining Tunisian heritage and African sounds- featuring the Group “IFRIGA” directed by the Tunisian artist and percussionist Brahim Bahloul, an instrumentalist in the Tunisian Symphonic Orchestra.

Le Maroc prend part à la 3e édition du FESMAN au Sénégal
Des artistes marocains seront « présents en force » au Sénégal pour prendre part à Dakar et à Saint-Louis, à la 3e édition du Festival mondial des arts nègres (FESMAN), organisé du 10 au 31 décembre 2010. Selon un communiqué du ministère de la Culture, Bensalem Himmich, ministre de tutelle sera présent à la cérémonie d’ouverture de ce Festival, qui se tient sur le thème de la « Renaissance africaine ».

This festival is bigger than i thought.
Eighty countries of Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. will participate.
Would it have been held in anglophone african country ...
I guess Senegalese suck at PR.

More pics and news to come ...