The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius is celebrating the island’s 50th anniversary with many festive events among them a typical 'pirogue' regatta.
A regatta with traditional Mauritian wooden boats, called pirogues, was held on Sunday. The official flag-raising ceremony took place on Monday at the Champ de Mars racecourse in Mauritius. During the festivities, a colourful show highlighted the many different cultures of the people living on the island.
The bright Mauritian flag with red, blue, yellow and green stripes decorated many houses and official buildings. On 12 March 1968 Mauritius gained independence from Britain who ruled the island country until then.
Mauritius’ Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth referred to tolerance and respect for different faiths and cultures that made the life on the island so enjoyable.
“Mauritius is connected through the hearts of all of us. We learn from those who are around us and we respect the advice of the older generation in a way that shapes our own vision of how we should fend in life,” said Jugnauth.
Tourism is one of the main economic contributors in Mauritius as it creates jobs and helps the island to prosper. More than 1,3 million tourists from all over the world visited the country in 2017. Most international tourists came from France, England, Germany and South Africa.
Among the Top Countries to Visit in 2018
Mauritius is listed among the Top 10 countries to visit in 2018 according to ‘Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018’ Read more about Mauritius on our guide.
source: ewn.co.za
image: shutterstock/from a previous regatta