A cultural bridge linking Senegal and Tatarstan will connect the World Heritage islands Gore and Saint-Louis and the Museum-Reserve "Town-Island of Sviyazhsk".
On June 30 at 15:00, the opening of a large-format street photo exhibition "World Heritage Islands. Gore and Saint-Louis (Senegal)" will take place in the State Museum-Reserve "Town-Island of Sviyazhsk".
The Republic of Senegal is the westernmost state of the African continent, located on the Atlantic coast and known as the "Gateway to Africa". The exhibition in Sviyazhsk will become a step in the development of cultural and economic and ties between Tatarstan and Senegal.
The theme of the exhibition is related to the similarity of the Senegal’s and Sviyazhsk’s UNESCO World Heritage sites – the island position, the activities of local residents (fishing, traditional shipbuilding), the development of small territories and local communities, etc.
Gore is a small island off the coast of Senegal. It was discovered by the Portuguese navigator Dinish Dias in 1444. The island of Gore went down in history as the largest center of the slave trade from the 15th to the 19th century. To this day, the houses of slavers and buildings for the maintenance of slaves have been well preserved on the island. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.
Saint-Louis is an island 2 km long and 300 m wide. It was the first city founded by Europeans in West Africa in 1659. It was named after the patron saint of the reigning King of France Louis XIV. Until 1902, Saint-Louis was the capital of the French colony of Senegal. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.
The opening of the exhibition will be attended by guests – students of the Kazan Federal University from Africa. After the official part, the performance of the "Seneorita" duet (violin and saxophone) will take place. Londoka Luis Mujinga (Angola) and Anele Nmesoma Chikwador (Nigeria). Shamale Elvira Christina Shivala (Angola) will sing in her native language.
The buffet table will also unite the culinary traditions of our countries. Wonderful Tatar pastries and desserts will complement the traditional African drink bissap.
The exhibition "World Heritage Islands. Gore and Saint-Louis (Senegal)" is a continuation of cooperation and friendship between Russia and Senegal. On May 25, the opening of the exhibition within the framework of the Biennial of contemporary African art Dak'ART took place in the capital of Senegal – Dakar. Russia was presented by about 40 works of artists from Tatarstan. Guests from Russia were warmly welcomed in Dakar, and a mural on the theme of Russian-Senegalese friendship appeared at one of the schools in the capital of Senegal. Its author was the architect of the Museum-reserve Pavel Tinyaev and Zeynyx, an artist from Senegal. "We are very glad and very happy that artists from Tatarstan have come to us and presented us with such a mural, which shows what a symbiosis can be between Africa and Russia" – said Umi Sen, Secretary General of the Russian Cultural Centre "Kalinka".
The organizer of the exhibition is the State Museum-Reserve "Town-Island of Sviyazhsk". With the support of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, Umi Sen, Secretary General of the Russian Cultural Centre "Kalinka" in Senegal.
The exhibition will be located on Uspenskaya Street, opposite to the Museum of the History of Sviyazhsk, and it will be available to all guests until September.
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