President Danny Faure received well-known local historian and author, Mr Julien Durup, at State House this morning. Mr Durup visited State House to present the President with a copy of his new book, ‘Seafaring Adventures and Conflicts in the Indian Ocean 3500 BC – 1811 AD’.

The book charts the history of seafaring in the Indian Ocean, starting with ancient travelers up to the British supremacy achieved by 1811. The book examines the importance of the Indian Ocean as a transit route between Africa and Asia, and also a venue of conflict.

Mr Durup also shared with the President the work of Association Ame De Pirate, a cultural project collecting information about the marine history of Seychelles. The project is run by volunteers passionate about history and archival work, and also advocates for the importance of cultural preservation.

President Faure and Mr Durup discussed the importance of preserving historical landmarks and records, and the need to train people in preserving historical documents and archiving. The President referred to the upcoming construction of a new building for the National Archives through a public private partnership with the Central Bank of Seychelles.

The President thanked Mr Durup for his hard work and commitment to preserving and documenting the history of Seychelles. He said that his work will continue to inspire and teach generations to come.

Mr Durup is working on 4 projects at present, including a book documenting the history of Seychelles’ laws.