STREET CHILDREN TAKE PART IN LUANDA CARNIVAL 2023 - FOLLOWED AFTER THE GLOBAL TOURISM RESILIENCE DAY (FEBRUARY 17)

 LUANDA CARNIVAL EDITION 2023

FOLLOWED AFTER THE GLOBAL TOURISM RESILIENCE DAY (FEBRUARY 17)

Luanda Carnival started the day after the global tourism resilience day.

February 17 will be celebrated as Global Tourism Resilience Day every year, starting this month. The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution from Jamaica to declare the first-ever Global Tourism Resilience Day in an effort to future-proof the sustainability of tourism.

The 2023 edition of Carnival in Luanda, which once again shook Nova Marginal, ended on Monday night, a 2 years after the lifting of restrictions imposed to face the Covid-19 pandemic.  

One of the main objectives is for Carnival to become more attractive from a tourist and economic point of view.

For many developing countries, including the least developed countries, small island developing states, countries in Africa and middle-income countries, tourism is a major source of income, foreign currency earnings, tax revenue and employment. Because tourism connects people with nature, sustainable tourism has the unique ability to spur environmental responsibility and conservation.

Sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, is a cross-cutting activity that can contribute to the three dimensions of sustainable development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by fostering economic growth, alleviating poverty, creating full and productive employment and decent work for all.

STREET CHILDREN TOOK PART IN LUANDA CARNIVAL 2023

Hello, happy carnival!

We're both dancers and we're getting ready for the show later this afternoon at 19:00.

Cheer for us, we need your support for us to win. Help us.

Are you ready to dance in the street carnival?

Yes, we are ready.

Could you go ahead with a touch of dance now?

Of course, no problem.

What's in that bag?

There are our work material. We've been rehearsing here every day.

OK. Bye bye!

Children from all groups who took to the streets for yet another Entrudo competition demonstrated the continuity of the cultural matrix of Carnival in Luanda. Carnival groups in Luanda are formed by several families, this characteristic facilitates the transmission of habits, techniques and arts of singing, playing instruments, dancing and playing.

"The passing of testimony occurs naturally, that is, parents teach their children, uncles do the same with their nephews, grandparents with their grandchildren, and great-grandparents with their great-grandchildren, and in this way the continuity of cultural identity has been ensured Carnival".

The preservation of Luanda's cultural traits, which the children's groups showed, were visible in the songs, dances, costumes and floats.

Our carnival is a true festival of demonstrations, in which each culture develops practices that relate to their way of life and the obstacles we face in everyday life. These cultural manifestations characterize, identify and represent the culture of a people or nation, each with its particularities and principles for full freedom of opinion and thought.

DIVERSITY OF STYLES MARKS THE RETURN OF THE “FESTIVAL OF THE PEOPLE”

It's Carnival, it's revelry and joy. The largest cultural event in the country has returned to the streets, after two years of suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The President of the Republic, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, and the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, attend, this Monday, February 20, at Nova Marginal, the central parade of the Luanda Carnival Edition 2023, accompanied by the Governor Provincial of Luanda, Manuel Gomes da Conceição Homem.

Our carnival is a true celebration of manifestations, where each culture develops practices that relate to their way of life and obstacles we face in everyday life. These cultural manifestations characterize, identify and represent the culture of a people or nation, each with its particularities and principles for full freedom of opinion and thought.

The most expensive city of the world turns 447 years old (Luanda)

 Luanda turns 447 years old

The city of Luanda completed on Wednesday [25.01.2023] its 447th anniversary.

Located on the west coast of Africa, Luanda is the capital of Angola and was founded on January 25, 1576, by the Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais, under the name of “São Paulo de Asunción De Loanda”.

One year after its foundation, Paulo Dias de Novais laid the stone for the construction of the church dedicated to São Sebastião, in the place where today is the Central Museum of the Armed Forces. Three decades later, with the increase in the European population and the consequent increase in buildings, the village becomes a city.

After the Independence of Angola, in 1975, the Municipality of Luanda was extinguished, dividing the territory of the province, first, in three municipalities and, later, in nine: Cazenga, Ingombota, Kilamba Kiaxi, Maianga, Rangel, Sambizanga, Samba , Viana and Cacuaco.

With millions of inhabitants, the city of Luanda, whose name comes from Axiluandas,” the men of the sea " native to Cape Island, is the main financial, commercial, economic and industrial center of Angola. Its inhabitants are mostly members of the ambundos, congos and ovimbundos ethnic groups, with relevant fractions of all Angolan ethnic origins. There is also a population of European origin, consisting mainly of Portuguese.

Luanda has as its visit cards the Bay of Luanda, the old Marginal Avenue or Avenida 4 de Fevereiro, where imposing works of architecture are implanted, such as the building of the National Bank of Angola, which still maintains the coat of arms of Portugal on the facade. 

The colonial historical buildings, such as the Provincial government, the Museums of the Armed Forces, Anthropology, currency, Natural History and slavery, where you can see instruments of coercion and immobilization used against slaves are, among others, places that prove to be authentic postcards.

After more than four centuries of existence, Luanda continues, among other aspects, to struggle with anarchic constructions, acts of vandalism of public and private property. Still, Luanda continues to be loved by all!

   Luanda the most expensive city in the world

In 2015, Luanda was rated to be the most expensive city in the world by several surveys. This has been argued to be a subjective view, based on one side of the city: that of expats and the rich.

In reality, Luanda has different economic streams, one for locals that is reasonable and comprised of road side restaurants, markets, vendors, hawkers and bootleggers, and another one based on restaurants, hotels, supermarkets with exorbitant pricing for the most simple commodities.

Luanda has long been one of the most exciting African music cities, spearheading and originating movements and sounds such as kuduro, semba, kizomba and most recently, along with South Africa, afrohouse. With it's economic boom, due to oil finds, and the subsequent crash, the force of the music scene has not subsided one bit.

Music Venues to visit: Elinga Teatro; Centro Recreativo Kilamba; Palos; Salão Paula Francinete; Switch; Epic Sapa; Miami Beach; Café del Mar; King's Club; Espaço Bahía

Festivals: Feskizomba; Luanda International Jazz Festival; Luanda Sounds Fest; Festival de Música Eletrónica, Great Ouagadougou

Artists to watch out for: Homeboyz Muzik; Djeff Afrozila; Titica; DJ Satellite; Jack Nkanga, Ikonoklasta; Bonga; Francis Boy; Before Crush; Dor Fantasma;  MC Sacerdote; Cabo Snoop;  Kapri; Renato Xtrova; DJ X-Trio; Paulo Flores; Os Banah, Gerilson.

HOMICIDE DUE TO GOVERNMENTAL NEGLIGENCE IN RAINY TIMES, LEAVES THE POPULATION IN CRY, REVOLT AND DEEP SADNESS

 IN TIMES OF CLIMATE CRISIS WITH MASSIVE TORRENTIAL RAINS, NEGLIGENCES ARE INADMISSIBLE

14-YEAR-OLD BOY LOST HIS LIFE AFTER FALLING INTO THE DRAINAGE DITCH ABANDONED BY THE CAZENGA MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION.

This is one more sad story of a 14-year-old boy that lost his life last Saturday afternoon, the 26th, after falling into the ditch that the Municipal Administration of Cazenga opened, in the 7ª Avenida region, for works, under the Integrated Plan of intervention in municipalities.

Citizens accuse administration of “negligent homicide”

Residents said they were two teenagers who went into the ditch, looking for the ball that had fallen into the hole, when they were playing football. Quickly the population took over and rushed to the scene, having managed to rescue one alive. The other disappeared for a while, submerged in the waters (at the bottom of the ditch there was a lot of silt that caused the boy to get stuck there).

The residents called the fire brigade, but only after 40 minutes a vehicle arrived with "five men, with a small ladder”. Neither the government nor the company contracted for this work assumed the error, only sent a note of condolence to the bereaved family. 

To see the problem solved, residents say they have already appealed to the administration, with letters, but never got answers, and so they are considering holding “a mega manifestation” to pressure the provincial government.

 The victim in life was called Lutumba Kiala (affectionately called Nzuzi) died at the age of 14, fell into the ditch while playing ball. He had a bright future in the world of football ahead of him.

"Two weeks ago, in that big rain, two boys had already fallen into the hole. Thank God they didn't die.” The macro-drainage ditch is about 15 meters wide and two meters deep.

It should be noted that the construction of this same ditch has been stopped since February, causing serious problems in the community such as increased delinquency and mobility. When the ditch is dry bandits hide inside to plot and rob people at night and at dawn, and when the rain comes it always causes accidents.

In the next few days, a process for the civil and criminal liability of the Municipal Administration of Cazenga “for homicide by negligence” will be presented to the bodies of law.

"The rainy season has arrived and the citizen will continue to face the same problems of several years”, they lament.