Guiriko: The traditional New Year celebrated as a factor of social cohesion and preservation of ancestral values: The traditional New Year celebration of the Bobo-Mandar¨ community concluded on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in the founding village of Sya with a closing ceremony held under the patronage of the Minister of Culture. At the event, the patron, Ibrahim Sanon, CEO of Sya Mines and Quarries, praised the role of this cultural event in preserving ancestral values and strengthening unity within the Bobo-Mandar¨ community and Burkina Faso.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Comrade Ibrahim Sanon, also speaking on behalf of co-sponsor Mamadou Sanou, CEO of Coris Bank Central Africa, congratulated the Bobo-Mandarª community and the Lamogoya de Sya collective (organizer) for their commitment to the transmission of this cultural heritage. He emphasized that the Djomb¨l¨, marking the traditional New Year within the Bobo-Mandarª community, serves as a vital framework for dialogue, education, cultural transmission, and community cohesion. The traditional New Year began on the night of Wednesday, June 24th to Thursday, June 25th, 2026, according to the Gregorian calendar.
The theme for this year's celebration, "Roles and places of the Djomb¨l¨ in the Bobo Mandar¨ community," sparked discussions on knowledge transmission, peace consolidation, and cultural heritage preservation. The sponsor urged municipal and national authorities to provide better financial and institutional support for the tradition, particularly advocating for a budget dedicated to Djomb¨l¨ at the municipal level.
The first vice-president of the special delegation of the municipality of Bobo-Dioulasso, Comrade Moussa Sanon, representing the PDS of the municipality of Bobo-Dioulasso, Comrade Laurent Kontogom, promised greater involvement of the municipal administration in future editions of this celebration, recognizing it as a pivotal event for Burkina Faso's cultural capital.
According to the chairman of the organizing committee, Sidiki Sanou, the success of the 2026 edition was due to the mobilization of elders, women, and young people, whose involvement ensured smooth conferences and cultural activities. Elders brought wisdom and blessings, women played a key role in logistics and rituals, while young people provided entertainment and engaged participants in various activities.
Sidiki Sanou expressed gratitude to the event's sponsors, the Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Pingdwend© Gilbert Ou©draogo, and the municipal authorities of Bobo-Dioulasso for their support. He hopes the Djomb¨l¨ festival will continue promoting social cohesion and showcasing the cultural values of the Bobo-Mandarª community and Burkina Faso.
The organizers reiterated their desire for social cohesion and culture to remain the "weapon" and "compass" of Burkina Faso, concluding with a call for the longevity of tradition, unity, and the nation.