Sissili Festival Highlights Customs’ Role in Social Cohesion

LÉO: The A Bura Ne bàa association hosted the 7th edition of the "Festival les retrouvailles Léo" from December 5 to 8, 2024, celebrating the role of customs in fostering social cohesion. The event, sponsored by cardiologist Professor Lucie Nebié, was held under the patronage of former Minister of State for Culture Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo and Emile Zerbo from territorial administration.According to Burkina Information Agency, the festival featured a variety of activities, including a bustling shopping street, a playground, live performances by over thirty artists, and health screenings for diabetes and hepatitis. Additionally, attendees participated in dyeing workshops and training sessions on entrepreneurship and financial education, aimed at empowering local women.Rosine Dagano, the president of the organizing committee, emphasized the festival's role beyond entertainment, highlighting its contribution to cultural promotion and addressing development challenges in Sissili. Since its inception, the festival has provided significant support to local communities, including food distributions worth over three million FCFA to internally displaced persons and anti-COVID-19 equipment valued at five hundred thousand FCFA for the Léo health district.Further initiatives included entrepreneurship training for 200 women, with ten women receiving the Invest Sonar prize. Dagano expressed gratitude to the festival's sponsors, including Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo and Emile Zerbo, and acknowledged the support from various contributors who made the event possible.Kassoum Koalaga, President of the special delegation of the urban commune of Léo, commended the festival for promoting cultural values and unity among the province's residents. Governor Boubacar Nouhoun Traoré, representing Emile Zerbo, praised the event for promoting peace and cultural expression, urging attendees to embrace the educational opportunities presented.Certificates of recognition were awarded to individuals for their contributions t o cultural promotion in Sissili, underscoring the festival's commitment to preserving and celebrating local traditions.