A recap of the Bilili BD Festival
7 years…
7 years of existence and growth, to become THE end of year comic books event of the Congo basin.
And it is always heart-warming to see you come in your numbers, year in year out.
From 5000 visitors in 2019 to 8000 this year. 3000 more visitors. THANK YOU!
Thank you for believing in the festival, from within the country and without.
Thank you to Madam Lydie Pongault, the Minister in charge of Culture, Tourism, Arts and Leisure, for the reception, the discussion, and ideas on future avenues to explore, as from 2023.
Thank you to H.E. François Barateau, the French Ambassador to the Republic of Congo, as well as the embassy staff, and that of Institut Français du Congo. Your works behind the scenes are the reason why the festival was a success. Special thanks to Mr Régis Segala, the communication, programming, media library and production departments.
Thank you to all partners of the festival: RAGEC, Canal + Congo, Canal Olympia, the European Union, FNAC, AFD, IF Paris, and the named and unnamed sponsors. A special thank you to Mr Vincent Montagne, the Chairman and CEO of Média Participations, for his presence, contributions and donation of 2000 comic books to the French cultural centres of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, which the BililiBD Festival shall benefit from, and offer as prizes for the comic book and cosplay contests.
Thank you to all participants: physical and virtual, from the following countries: USA, UK, Zambia, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, France, Belgium, Switzerland, CAR, DRC, Qatar. Thank you for joining us and giving life to our masterclasses, debates and discussions, on site and online.
Thank you to all service providers and volunteers who put all hands on deck. Thank you to Wakom Butterfly and Association Bilili, for being the backbone of this festival.
Thank you too, to the general public of Brazzaville, and those who attended online. Your visits, purchases, energy, likes and shares are the wings on which we soar to take the local comic books creations to higher heights.
It was a wonderful edition, and it is with great pleasure that we revisit the festival, with you, while teasing things to come, in the next posts.
May He Who Is Above All give us that life needed every year to continue developing this great comic book rendezvous.
Long live comics in the Congo basin; Long live African comic books; Long live BililiBD Festival, again and again and again.
Joëlle Epée M. – Elyon’s
The Director