The National Day of Djibouti was celebrated on Thursday, October 8, at Expo Milano 2015. The flag-raising ceremony was performed in the presence of Ahmed Ali Silay, Ministerial Delegate for International Cooperation with the Djibouti Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Abdillahi Waiss, General Manager of the Djibouti National Office of Tourism; Youssouf Moussa Dawaleh, President of the Djibouti Chamber of Commerce; and Bruno Antonio Pasquino, General Commissioner for Expo Milano 2015.
Pasquino welcomed the Djibouti delegation, stating that “this Universal Exposition represents an occasion to increase knowledge on subjects related to sustainable development, the fight against food waste and reinforcing the central role of women. Your pavilion, taking up the subject ‘A country of a 1001 flavors,” shows the Djiboutian cuisine to be so varied and rich, and highlights the biodiversity guaranteed by your defense of the coral reefs and mangroves.”
Silay thanked the Italian delegation for the welcome, underlining how “Our pavilion shows the diversity and generosity typical of our country. Expo Milano 2015 is an opportunity to
reinforce the ties between Italy and Djibouti, in addition to representing a success and a chance for exchange and sharing.” At the end of the ceremony, the Djibouti delegation visited the Italy Palace, where
Silay signed the Milan Charter and participated in the official luncheon.
On the occasion of the National Day of Djibouti, Expo Milano 2015 was a stage for the rich cultural tradition of this country: with dancing, music and food samples. The group 4 Mars accompanied the visitors with a performance at the
Arid Zones Cluster, with a display of songs, dances and traditional costumes, while in the Djibouti Pavilion the Expo visitors could try some delicious Djiboutian food.
