Bringing sea, sun and ‘Sal’ to Luxembourg

sal

Over 100 people gathered for an evening celebrating Cape Verdean culture on Wednesday at the Rotondes.

The event was organised to celebrate the publication of the fourth “diaries of” magazine, this issue focusing on the archipelago.

“We decided for this issue not just to bring a community of travellers together, but also to bring a bit of the Cape Verdean culture to Luxembourg,” said Anabela Valente, co-founder of the magazine.

For this reason, the event included Cape Verdean musicians playing typical morna songs and also finger food specialities from the islands.

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There was also an exhibition of ten photos capturing island life, taken by Anabela and Jorge Valente, the other co-founder. “It was very easy to communicate with people,” Anabela said. “The people of Cape Verde don’t mind being photographed.”

The couple managed to visit six of the 10 islands during their six weeks on the archipelago.

“Each island has its own character, feel and attraction,” Jorge said. For example, he cites the “crystal clear water” of Sal; the “high peaks, volcanic sand” of Fogo; or the “very, very green hills with beautiful valleys” of Santo Antão.

“It’s not just beaches and watersports like many think,” said Anabela. “We found out there is a lot of good hiking and also great music culture, especially on São Vicente.”

Carlos Fernandes Semedo, Ambassador of the Republic of Cape Verde, said the aim is for tourism to Cape Verde to increase from the current roughly 600,000 per year to 1 million visitors annually within the next four years.

Ambassador Semedo also stated there are over 25 associations promoting Cape Verdean culture in Luxembourg. “I think sometimes Cape Verdeans like to be amongst themselves, but I try to encourage them to open up a little. These kinds of events are good for that,” he said, adding: “And if it can help promote Cape Verde as a tourist destination, it’s always appreciated.