Culture

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 ceremony was attended by political leaders, traditional chiefs, and thousands of spectators. A sacred object […]

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 (law of July 30, 2024, establishing the National Holiday of Traditional Religions on the second […]

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 dedicated to Vodun arts, culture, and spirituality will now last an entire week, according to […]

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 efforts aimed at bringing back 35 new cultural assets and archival funds currently held in […]

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 to his intervention was an ambitious and sensitive program: the scientific rewriting of Benin’s history, […]

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 and the role of Congolese music as a tool of soft power for the DRC. […]

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. This decision aims to fill a gap long highlighted by sector stakeholders. Despite investments made […]

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 time at the head of the department before formally handing over his responsibilities to 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 Presidency of the Republic, the overseeing ministries, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, […]

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 study and revision of place names, public spaces, and street names, in order to align […]

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 for this category of beneficiaries. The initiative aims to streamline and safeguard the nationality acquisition […]

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 of the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, January 21, the government spokesperson, Léandre Wilfried […]

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 beyond simply promoting intangible heritage. He says the event generates direct and indirect economic activity […]

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, and tourist pillar open to the world. Every January, Benin becomes the epicenter of a […]

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 Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Jean-Michel Abimbola, a guest on France 24. According […]

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 integrated space dedicated to the cultural and creative industries. Conceived as a genuine cultural […]

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 African heads of state reacted quickly, condemning the coup and deciding to suspend Guinea-Bissau’s participation […]

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 season, relies on a simple strategy: making access to the country easier for those who […]