THE IZELIA EXPERIENCE: CELEBRATING AND PROMOTING SIERRA LEONEAN HERITAGE

The IZELIA Experience (TIE) *A 3 Day Gara Tie & Die Fiesta* 5^th – 7^th April 2019

A beautiful dream became an idea which in turn became a plan. That plan was to be an event that promoted how our past and where we are now as a people can influence and shape what we can be. What better way could there be to do that, other than through how we present ourselves to the world? What better way than through the clothes we wear and how they come to be? The IZELIA Experience celebrates and promotes the true Sierra Leonean heritage using *Gara Tie & Die.

The IZELIA Experience (TIE)  Gara Tie and Die celebrates a part of our heritage that is testament to the imagination of our ancestors. At a time when the role of women in our society and how we treat them is so topical, it was also important to celebrate products that have and continue to come through a combination of the industriousness and sense of style of Sierra Leone’s women. That was the dream that led to the conception of the event.

The delivery itself was also worth celebrating. Good ideas without the intent will only find space on shelves as nothing more than good ideas. The intent will push things across the start line but will need sustaining. That sustainment comes in the form of support of all sorts. Sponsors who provide resources or enable critical activities. Family and friends with advice, their time, their energy and many other forms of kindness. That is what took things from the start line through to the finishing tape.

As we celebrate a successful event, we acknowledge with deep gratitude all who made it happen.

We are deeply grateful to:

The Minister and all at the Ministry of Tourism for their support. Collectively we can drive more people to put Sierra Leone on their “places to visit” list and make Sierra Leone ‘the place to be’. 

We thank the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs for his support to the event and for the promotion of the ‘Sierra Leonean woman’.

We are also grateful to the European Union’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone and his wife for bringing the stamp of approval of the twenty-eight nation block.

We are very thankful for the support of Bollore Transport & Logistics.

Cheers to the many sponsors who were generous with resources and gave exposure to the event. They were: SN Brussels, Mutziq, Sierra Leone Brewery, Africel, AfriRadio, UTB, EcoBank, KAEMON Event and REEMS Entertainment. We now see you as more than sponsors because you have all earned the right to be called partners.

A special thank you to  Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel. For agreeing to host our inaugural event, this placed trust, on top of support especially knowing the fact that it’s almost always all about “location, location, location”. The support of the hotel’s management and staff in the lead up to, during and after the event is hugely appreciated.

Finally, the IZELIA – cheerleaders. The people who are to IZELIA what the legs of those graceful swans on the lake are. The people whose hard work, patience and determination continue to be decisive inputs with IZELIA’s routine business and special ventures. The people who carry IZELIA through the many challenges of a demanding industry. They cannot be thanked enough but we want to assure them of the high regard, absolute gratitude and deep affection.

All the support and the success enabled has made it possible to decide without hesitation to come back with more events that celebrate us as a people while showing what we can and must be.