CULTURE

Ten individuals from the Afro-descendant diaspora, primarily originating from Guadeloupe, received their certificates of Beninese nationality this Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the Cotonou Judicial Complex. The official ceremony, marked by the performance of the national anthem, was presided over…

A delegation from the Departmental Administrative Conference (CAD) of Borgou, led by Prefect Abdou-Chakour Assouma Naro, visited the sites dedicated to the Gaani festivities in Nikki on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. This field tour aimed to assess the progress of…

The government of the Republic of Benin has expressed its great satisfaction following the announcement of the unveiling of the 2,854th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in honor of singer Angélique Kidjo. The ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday,…

Ivory Coast celebrated its 66th Independence Day on Friday, August 7, 2026. In Abidjan, the speaking drum Djidji Ayôkwé, returned by France in March after several years of negotiations, was presented for the first time to the Ivorian public. The…

The extension of Vodun Days to an entire week (from January 2 to 9, 2027) is part of the new tourism strategy aimed at valuing cultural heritage and optimizing the profitability of infrastructures. Regarding the public holiday regime, Beninese legislation…

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. Previously celebrated over three days, the event…

The Minister of Culture, Arts, and Heritage, Yassine Latoundji, officially inaugurated the National Scientific Committee for the Restitution of Cultural Assets this Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Cotonou. This strategic body will be tasked with leading the scientific and technical…

Invited on Sunday, June 28, 2026, to the Canal 3 Bénin set during the show Zone Franche, Professor François Adebayo Abiola shed light on the ongoing work at the National Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters of Benin (ANSALB). Central…

Félix Tshisekedi decorated Fally Ipupa with the rank of Knight of the National Order of the Leopard after his historic double concert at the Stade de France. Through this distinction, the Congolese president praises the international influence of the artist…

The Beninese government has taken an important step in organizing the cultural sector. During a meeting of the Council of Ministers, it adopted a decree establishing a legal, social, and economic status for the benefit of artists and cultural professionals.…

At the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts, the transition took place under the sign of assessment and continuity. On the occasion of the handover ceremony, the outgoing minister Jean-Michel Abimbola looked back on the main achievements recorded during his…

The Benin government has established the Administrative Council of the Réunion des musées publics du Bénin (RMPB), a strategic body charged with guiding and overseeing the policy for managing the country’s public museums. The Council is composed of representatives from…

The President of the Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon, signed a decree appointing the members of the Commission on Toponymy and National Memory. This newly constituted commission aims to contribute to a better structuring of the national memory through the…

The Beninese government announced in a cabinet meeting the establishment of a new structure dedicated to supporting Afro-descendants who wish to obtain Beninese nationality, following the adoption of Law 2024-31 of September 2, 2024 relating to the recognition of nationality…

The Beninese government has given a positive assessment of the 2026 edition of the Vodun Days festival, praising the organization, participation, and cultural impact of this event, which was held recently in Ouidah. In a statement made on the margins…

On the occasion of the Vodun Days festival, a cultural event that has become a major fixture in Benin, Jean-Michel Abimbola highlighted the festival’s positive economic impact. Speaking on the festival’s socio-economic reach, Jean-Michel Abimbola noted that Vodun Days goes…

Between spiritual revelation and popular fervor, Ouidah pulsed to the rhythm of the Tofa and Vodun Days 2026. Carried by the sign Losso Sa, herald of stability and prosperity, this edition confirmed Benin’s ambition to make Vodoun a cultural, spiritual,…

Benin has chosen to place culture and tourism at the heart of its strategy for economic development. On the occasion of Vodun Days, held from January 8 to 10 in Ouidah, the government reaffirmed this orientation through statements by the…

The contracting process for the construction of Cotonou’s Cultural and Creative Quarter (QCC) has been officially approved, paving the way for work to begin. This large-scale project covers more than 12 hectares and aims to provide the economic capital with…

An ECOWAS delegation arrived in Bissau this Monday, December 1, 2025, hoping to engage in a dialogue with the new military authorities. This visit comes after the November 26 coup, which plunged the country into a serious institutional crisis. West…

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Jean-Michel Abimbola, unveiled on November 29 an initiative that’s already making waves: Paris–Cotonou flights at preferential fares for the holiday period. This scheme, designed for the diaspora and travelers during the festive…

The construction site of the Musée international du Vodun, located at the entrance to Porto-Novo, was visited by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Babalola Jean Michel Hervé Abimbola, on Thursday, November 27, 2025. This visit is part…

From October 16 to 18, 2025, Lagos will host the second edition of the Forum Création Africa, an initiative of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, led by MansA – Maison des Mondes Africains. Following a first edition…

The Residence of the European Union in Benin came alive on 16 October 2025 with colors and shapes at the opening of a joint exhibition by two Beninese artists: Verckys, painter, and Génia Ohini, sculptor. This event is part of…

The Beninese government announced, at the Council of Ministers on September 24, 2025, an ambitious tourism development project in Ouidah, more precisely in the Avlékété area. This major hotel program provides for the construction of three upscale hotel complexes intended…

The monument bearing the inscription « Cité historique de Ouidah », located at the entrance to the tourist town, was demolished during the week of September 15, 2025. Announced for Thursday, September 18, the operation caused sadness and questions among…

Angélique Kidjo, the legendary Beninese singer and multiple award-winner (5 Grammy Awards), makes history. She became the first African artist to receive a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. The official announcement of the selection for the Walk…

On Monday, April 28, 2025, the French Senate unanimously approved a bill authorizing the restitution of the Djidji Ayokwê Talking Drum to Ivory Coast. The decision was warmly welcomed by Françoise Remarck, Ivorian Minister of Culture and Francophonie. The next…

It’s a global phenomenon—one that French audiences are only just discovering. Nezha 2, the Chinese animated film, hits theaters in France on April 23, 2025, riding the wave of a sensational international success. With over $2 billion in global box…