4th edition of Dance Festival She’s On Fire
26.09.2017 / 20:29 | Aktualizováno: 26.09.2017 / 20:56
The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abuja supported and co-organized the 4th Annual International Dance Festival She's On Fire, which was held in Cotonou, Benin Republic, from 12th September to 15th September 2017.
The Festival was officially launched on September 12th 2017 in Cotonou with the participation of project partners. The representative of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abuja and the co-organizer of the Festival, Mrs. Gabriela Idehen, personally took part in the opening ceremony together with the economic diplomat of the Czech Embassy in Abuja, Mrs.Beata Matusikova, who officially launched the Festival with a welcoming speech. The week-long Festival included lectures and seminars on women's employment opportunities and the status of women in African society. The organizers also offered dance workshops for those interested in street, modern, hip-hop, soka and African dance.
The Festival also promoted cultural awareness and the introduction of traditional customs and dishes of participating countries. The Czech Republic presented typical Czech dishes such as goulash, Prague ham or turkey ham thanks to Mrs. Lada Zapletalová, whose company imports frozen and canned food into the Republic of Benin. Mrs. Lada Zapletalová is also a candidate for Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Benin. Among other things, the Czech Republic's stand has introduced catalogs and products of Veba, whose African brocade is very popular in West and East Africa.
She's On Fire culminated in a big Finale on the famous city square Place des Martyrs in Cotonou. Part of the finale evening were street dance exhibitions given by the women jurors and boys dance teams from the Republic of Benin.
The teams of France and Cameroon met in the final dance battle. The Cameroon team eventually won the winning Trophy, which was handed over to the lucky winners by a representative of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abuja, Mrs. Beata Matusiková. Part of the prize was 300.000 West African francs, which would help the girls to further their personal education.
The Embassy of the Czech Republic plans a long-term cooperation with I AM AFRO Foundation, led by Kevin Adjalian, and promised the participation of the Czech dance team at the next 5th edition of the She's On Fire Festival.
