Benin: the “Vodun Days” celebrations go from 3 to 7 days
On the occasion of the second edition of the Diaspora Connect Forum held in Cotonou, the president of the Vodun Rites Committee, Professor Mahougnon Kakpo, announced the extension of the Vodun Days Festival.
SUMMARY
Previously celebrated over three days, the event dedicated to Vodun arts, culture, and spirituality will now last an entire week, according to reports from Banouto.
This reorganization primarily addresses issues of economic optimization. Professor Kakpo emphasized that the brevity of past editions did not allow for full profitability of the infrastructures mobilized for the occasion.
The extension to seven days aims to achieve several strategic objectives, including:
- Infrastructure Valorization: Maximize the use and profitability of hotel facilities, roads, and services developed around the event.
- Support for the Local Economy: Allow artisans, merchants, and service trade operators, particularly sellers of ritual objects, to benefit longer from the strong tourist influx.
- Sustaining Tourist Flow: Leverage the success of the first three editions, which attracted several million participants, to strengthen cultural dynamics alongside the Mask Festival.
A Project Embedded in the Valorization of National Heritage
This initiative is part of a broader vision to promote cultural tourism in Benin. It complements other significant heritage projects, such as the Vodun Convent Route and the future International Museum of Vodun in Porto-Novo, aimed at showcasing Beninese heritage well beyond the festive period.
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