The Malagasy of the diaspora celebrated their New Year, Saturday March 29, 2025. And for this second edition, a festival was dedicated to them at La Récyclerie, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, an eco -responsible place which has highlighted this event for two years. A space in which, for three days, this diaspora, which represents more than 180,000 Malagasy in France, found itself. On the menu: conferences, a photographic exhibition, a book space, documentary projections, meetings with several collectives, music, tales … There was something for everyone.
The Malagasy New Year is based on the lunar calendar, as Hobi Rakotoson explains: “ You should know that the Malagasy New Year changes from one year to another, since we are on a lunar calendar. But March 29 is also the Commemoration of March 29, 1947, the Malagasy insurgency against French domination. This is one of the flagship moments of the Malagasy anti -colonial struggle. It is therefore an important date that coincides with the Malagasy New Year. Being here today is very symbolic. »»
A new year hired according to the organizer of this festival, Audrey Randjiamandjia, at the head of the Malagasy Women Empowerment association: “ This festival is also a way for all the people who work for Madagascar to enhance what they do in the field. This is what we are doing today : reduce the information gap between what people know from Madagascar here and what those in the field experience “Explains the organizer.
“” We manage there by organizing cine-debates, for example. Some films are prohibited from broadcasting in Madagascar, but we continue to support Malagasy directors and cinema. We also organize other activities, such as conferences, to allow the diaspora, especially those who no longer return to Madagascar or who do not necessarily commit, to have the necessary and informed information on the current situation of the country She continues.
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A festival that creates bridges and links
Kalina, present for this Malagasy New Year 2025, notes: ” Frankly, I miss my country. I just want to say that. Coming here is very enriching. We are lucky to have these kinds of events here, with so many associations. »»
Hobi Rakotoson, an engineer by training, put his job in parentheses. It values Malagasy culture through its company Lamake, which creates board games. “” Often we are told : “Ah, but you are Malagasy, but you don’t speak Malagasy ? “,” Oh, are you Malagasy, but you have an accent “or even” you lived in Madagascar, but you have not learned to speak Malagasy ? “,, she notes. These are real issues to which we, the diaspora, or even people who lived there, let’s face it. The goal is to make a step towards Malagasy culture through the language. The idea is to unlock this barrier to embrace its identity, its culture, its origins and discover Madagascar. »»
There are also stories of princesses and princes with Hanta, the storyteller. And it is time, in this new year, to make wishes …
Read tooMadagascar: The country celebrates the Malagasy New Year, in the presence of traditional royal dignitaries