eThe British Council wants to get closer to local people. ?Our organisation is changing to meet the needs of the people and remain relevant,? said Yasmin Hedoo, marketing events and PR manager at the British Council. This is why the organisation has launched several ?exciting projects? that are still ongoing over the past few months. ?The British Council offers a wide array of opportunities for all Mauritians and we hope they will seize them.?

As part of the Power in the voice programme, a beach festival will be held in Tamarin and Flic-en-Flac respectively on 22nd and 29th July. On those two special days, artists and pupils who have been working with them at their schools for several months will perform. ?It would be an opportunity for rectors and heads of schools as well as parents to come and see what their pupils or children have achieved thanks to the PIV programme as well,? recommends Yasmin.

The PIV is a competition that helps young candidates (over 15) to find their voice through music, performance, poetry and story telling. It is a dynamic way of using and learning English.

<B>Semi-finals </B>

As it is a competition, the beach festival might also be an opportunity for participants to see ?what their competitors will be doing for the semi-finals to be held in September,? said Yasmin with a broad smile.

The PIV appears to be a success both on the part of the pupils and that of artists who assert that they ?are taking even more advantage of the programme than the students?. ?We are learning so much of these young people,? say artists Priya Boodhoo and Anjum Bholah. Moreover, it has been an opportunity for all these artists to meet with some of their international counterparts.

But the PIV is not the only programme that is ?making the organisation successful?. The Interaction Leadership programme, the modernisation of the library into a knowledge and learning centre are among the recent initiatives. ?The British Council is no longer a mere library,? the PR manager claimed.

As for the teaching centre, Daniel Carroll, the corporate course coordinator and teacher, made it clear that the number of new students registered keeps increasing ? be they young learners, teachers or members of business circles.