Gorée Island hosts SIRA from 23 October to 15 November
Published on 10/24/2026 at 17:13 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSCraft fair and island heritage
- Les Salons de Gorée will host SIRA on Gorée Island from 23 October to 15 November 2026.
- Fourteen Senegalese regions and six neighbouring countries are represented in the craft fair.
- UNESCO inscribed the island on the World Heritage List in 1978.
SIRA, the Salon de l’Intégration Régionale et Africaine, is taking place on Gorée Island (Île de Gorée) in Dakar, Senegal, from 23 October to 15 November 2026. The regional and African craft fair brings together exhibitors from Senegal and neighbouring countries during a period that also includes the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
SIRA brings regional craft to Gorée Island
The fair is being hosted by Les Salons de Gorée, which describes its programme as a meeting point for exhibitions, conferences, film screenings, readings and cultural events. Its announcement places SIRA on the island itself and gives 23 October 2026 as the opening date, with the fair continuing until 15 November 2026.
The opening is scheduled to be led by Augustin Senghor, the mayor of Gorée. The organiser says that the fair will present handicrafts from Senegal’s 14 regions and from six neighbouring countries: Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Mauritania. The programme therefore connects the island’s cultural setting with a broad display of regional craft traditions. The SIRA programme and dates are set out on the organiser’s news page.
Gorée Island gives SIRA a World Heritage setting
UNESCO places Gorée Island off the coast of Senegal, opposite Dakar. The island’s architecture reflects successive Portuguese, Dutch, English and French rule, with a contrast between former slave quarters and the more elaborate houses of slave traders.
The site’s history gives the fair a setting that is more than a temporary venue. UNESCO describes Gorée as a reminder of human exploitation and a place associated with reconciliation, while the event brings contemporary regional craft into streets and buildings shaped by that history. This connection between SIRA’s participating regions and the island’s memory landscape is the practical reason the programme matters to visitors in late October and early November. The island was inscribed by UNESCO in 1978.
UNESCO records the island as 28 hectares in area and 3.5 km off Dakar. Its World Heritage value covers fortresses, buildings, streets and squares rather than a single monument, so the craft fair sits within a wider historic landscape.
Visiting Gorée Island: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- SIRA is scheduled on Gorée Island from 23 October to 15 November 2026, with the opening set for 23 October 2026.
- The event presents craft displays from Senegal’s 14 regions and six neighbouring countries, adding a temporary cultural programme to the historic island setting.
- The island lies opposite Dakar and covers 28 hectares, while UNESCO places it 3.5 km from the capital’s coast.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Gorée Island on social platforms
These links open searches for Gorée Island on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Gorée Island
When does SIRA take place at Gorée Island?
SIRA runs from 23 October to 15 November 2026, with the opening scheduled for 23 October 2026.
What is SIRA at Gorée Island?
It is a regional and African craft fair presenting work from Senegal’s 14 regions and six neighbouring countries.
Where is Gorée Island and how do you get there?
Gorée Island lies off the Senegalese coast opposite Dakar and is 3.5 km from the capital’s coast, according to UNESCO.
