The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, proceeded, this afternoon, to the official launching of the two-day Open House to be held on 02 December and 03 December 2023, at the State House in Réduit.
The Vice President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Marie Cyril Eddy Boissezon; the Former Acting President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory; the Former Vice President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Abdool Raouf Bundhun; and other personalities were present on the occasion.
In his address, President Roopun elaborated on the objective of this event, which is to ensure that the public gets to explore and enjoy the State House and its vast garden. The State House, he underlined, is our National Heritage and forms part of our history since the French and English Colonisation, to the ascension of Mauritius towards Independence and, as a Republic.
Furthermore, Mr Roopun averred that the initiative to hold Open Days follows the great enthusiasm shown by Mauritians around the island to visit the State House. "The State House", he upholded, "belongs to the Mauritian people, and we, personalities who occupy the State House, are the custodians who must take care of it for the population".
The President, dwelt too, on the series of activities that will be organised by the entire team of the State House alongside several stakeholders, namely: an exhibition of flowers, plants and handicrafts; free medical screening by the Ministry of Health and Wellness; Road Safety Awareness by the Traffic Management and Road Safety Unit; blood donation by the Blood Donors' Association and; entertainment by local artists.
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Mr Roopun, moreover, underscored the completion of two major projects at the State House which, according to him, will greatly benefit the population. These are: the creation of an Ayurvedic garden and; the reopening of the 2.2 kilometers health trail.
Future renovation works at the State House, such as the renovation of a kiosk; the conversion of an old swimming pool into a pond and; the widening of pathways for better access, were also outlined. On this score, the President reassured that the necessary steps will be taken to ensure that the works do not impede access to the public and that the State House will remain functional and accessible.
President Roopun went on to inform that requests for visits by the public are also being considered since the beginning of November 2023 and the State House will be opened three times a week in the morning for people who wish to visit. "Since November 2023, we have had visits from several groups of elderly people as well as from parents, students and teachers from Rodrigues, and we have received more requests for future visits," he noted.
This collaboration Mr Roopun affirmed, will lead to new opportunities for the public to reconnect and rediscover the State House. He expressed hope that the two-day open House will benefit all members of the public.
