Huguette Bello affirms Reunion Island’s place in French culture

Reunion Island currently devotes more than 18 million EUR to culture. This budget has increased by 4 million EUR since the beginning of Regional President Huguette Bello’s term.

This amount even exceeds the aid granted to the island by the supervising Ministry. A choice that demonstrates a clear commitment: to place culture at the heart of priorities, according to the official press release. This support is reflected in the Avignon Festival, one of the largest theater and live performance events. This year’s festival features eight Reunion Island companies: Kisa Mi Lé, H.A.D, Artmayage, Baba Sifon, Lé La, Théâtre Bazar, Lépok Épik, and Lakademi Komidi.

Nearly 120 performances are planned during the festival, with the support of the Region. President Huguette Bello’s visit to Avignon reinforces this momentum. A strong message was conveyed. “No budget cuts were considered, unlike in other areas. On the contrary, local artistic production is encouraged, as it is considered rich and of high quality,” she declared.

A tribute was also paid to Leconte de Lisle, a Réunion poet who succeeded Victor Hugo at the Académie Française. This was a reminder of the major role played by Réunion in French cultural history. In a public statement, culture was defined as essential: “Let us never forget that culture is a supplement to the soul. It is what makes man stand on his own two feet,” added the President.