Celebrating Senegal: the second annual Dakar Carnival

Hundreds of revelers from several Senegalese ethnic groups paraded through the streets of the capital on the occasion of the return of the Great Carnival of Dakar.

The festivities which is the second edition of the Grand Carnival of Dakar started on Friday at the Place de la Nation.

The Grand Carnival of Dakar is ''a platform set up (...) in order to promote Senegalese culture and create an exchange between Senegal and other countries,''

"This carnival is a good thing for Senegalese culture. It allows artists to meet, to get to know each other and to exchange ideas. It is something to be continued." Oulèye Fall, artist-dancer said The event which was initiated in 2019 could not be help in 2020 due to covid 19 pandemic.

Organiser of the shed more light on the concept for the event.

"Senegal is a country with a very diverse population that gets along very well and has an extremely rich culture. In each region, there is an extraordinary diversity and we wanted to create an event that would be a platform to enhance and promote it, whether in Senegal or throughout the world."  Fatou Kassé Sarr, organiser of the Dakar carnival explained. The event was on the theme: ''Tales and legends of Senegal and elsewhere''.

the 2021 edition aims to enhance and promote culture as a tool for territorial marketing.

"I think it's a great idea to make Dakar an annual meeting place for culture, for folklore, for our memories, so I see this festival growing in three years, in five years, so that we can meet again in this same square with a lot of tourists who come to see it too. "  Fatou Jupiter Touré, ambassador of the Dakar carnival

A large space was arranged to accommodate the maximum number of people including some 500 exhibitors from all regions of Senegal and the Province of Quebec, canada.

A parade of children wearing masks and traditional costumes is also planned, in order to better "raise awareness about contemporary life.