Launch a cultural hub in this West African community.
ATHENS, GREECE – In December, Various cruises is relaunching its West Africa itineraries, traveling through the region for the first time since the pandemic. The company will celebrate its return to Africa with the inauguration of The rose museumadjacent to the Lamin Koto School in Gambia which they helped build in 2011. Always watching “A better world at sea” and on land, through its philanthropic arm Variety Cares, Variety strives to uphold the foundation’s three-pronged mission: ensuring education for all, clean oceans for all, and gender equality for all .
West Africa Itineraries
The two eight-day itineraries are round trips from Dakar or Banzul across the rivers of Gambia and Senegal. On a small boat with a maximum capacity of 44 guests, travelers have the chance to Go further within the destination, exploring local culture and customs. Cruisers, aboard the 177 feet Harmony Gexperience exceptional wildlife viewing along the west coast of Africa and upstream of the Gambia River, while discovering the waterways of Senegal and the Gambia with visits to the Sine Saloum Delta, a wildlife reserve UNESCO biosphere and a paradise for bird watchers, the fishing village of Djiffere, the Gambia River National Park. , through the mysterious Wassu stone circles, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve.
The rose museum
In a unique moment, the inauguration of the Rose Museum will take place on the sixth day of the seven-day West African River Cruise, December 23, 2023.
Committed to always leaving a positive impact in all its destinations and immersing travelers in local communities, Variety Cruises has decided to expand the Lamin Koto School that the company built in 2011 with the Rose Museum. Designed by Athens-based ADD Architecture Studio, the museum transforms an abandoned building into a cultural center that will further energize the local community. ROSE stands for Real Objects Spread Education, but the museum is also named after its founder, the late Triantafyllos Venetopoulos – the second generation to run Variety Cruises – whose first name means “rose” in Greek. The Rose Museum, which will provide electricity and connectivity independently, will be a community gathering place, with an open door policy for all. It is dedicated to exploring the world beyond its walls.
Within these walls, the museum is filled with one-of-a-kind artifacts thanks to a newly established collaboration with the venerable Explorers Club and partnerships with other prominent figures, such as a spiritual leader. Deepak ChopraNBA record holder Giannis AntetokounmpoCEO of Open AI Sam AltamAnd Kweku Mandela, Nelson Mandelathe grandson of, among others. A carefully curated selection including personalized videos from donors will be displayed on a rotating basis. Richard Garriottexplains the president of the Explorers Club, “We wanted to join forces with Variety Cruises to work towards achieving our goals of promoting the scientific exploration of land, sea, air and space through research and education, and our projects are oriented towards achieving this mission.”
The program includes:
- Space Exploration: Enabling space exploration, the Explorers Club donated a NASA spacecraft along with a series of meteorites and original astronaut badges.
- Spirituality and Well-Being: Deepak Chopra opens the door to spirituality and well-being to all visitors to the Rose Museum, with a personalized book detailing the rules that lead to personal success and advancement.
- Competitive Sports: Representing the world of competitive sports, the famous Greek-Nigerian NBA record holder, Giannis Atentokounmpo, will be donating a pair of basketball sneakers accompanied by a personalized message.
- Artificial Intelligence: Local children learn about the future of artificial intelligence through exhibits on AI-powered Chat GPT technology, combined with how-to videos from Sam Atman, CEO of Open AI.
- Art and Philanthropy: Further expanding the world of art and philanthropy, Variety Cruises invited Audrey Hepburn’s granddaughter, Emma Hepburn Ferrer, to present a photographic portrait and videos, shot in the style of Inside Out , a participatory platform that helps individuals and communities create a statement of what they stand for, by displaying large-scale black and white portraits in public spaces.
- History of Emancipation: Nelson Mandela’s grandson Kweku Mandela will share an inspiring video on the history of emancipation dedicated to children at the museum.
CEO of Variety Filippo Venetopoulos observed, “We strive to create a cultural exchange between our guests and the communities we visit, allowing our guests to go deeper into the destinations with carefully designed excursions and events, and are incredibly grateful to all donors and all patrons for their generosity and support in helping. we are really delving deeper into our small boat adventures.
Attendees celebrating the occasion include Richard Garriott, President of the Explorers Club, who will cut the ribbon, and Filippos Venetopoulos, CEO of Variety Cruises.
Lamin Koto School
In 2011, honoring Variety Cruises’ groundbreaking itineraries on the rivers of West Africa, Variety Cruises launched the Lamin Koto School in The Gambia, which it has continually supported over the years, with the aim that it serves as a prototype for education in the region. . After discussion with local communities, and under the impetus of fire Lakis Vénétopoulos, Variety launched the community school to make education more accessible to remote areas and to enrich living conditions while respecting local traditions. The company has continued to support the school since maintaining the legacy started by Venetopoulos.
The year 2019 was marked by the inauguration of a new building, with supporters of Variety Cruises Tony And Tiffany Reiner And Marco Maranghello waiting for. In 2020, a new well was installed to bring drinking water to the village of Lamin Koto and its surroundings. In 2020, Variety Cares partnered with Inside Out to raise awareness, build community, and support education and clean water in the region. Although West Africa itineraries were suspended during the Covid pandemic, the Lamin Koto School remained in the hearts and minds of the Variety Cruises family, and the school continued to thrive through their support.
Theodore is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews’ long-term opportunities.
