By Lamin Njie
The Permeant Secretary (PS) at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Cordu L. Jabang, last week received officials of the Koom-Koom cultural festival of Senegal. The officials were at the Ministry to inform the Permanent Secretary and her team about the preparatory stages of the annual event, which is slated to take place from December 16th to 20th, 2024, in Ziguinchor.
Speaking earlier, the head of the delegation, Mr Falla Paye, said the annual festival is organised to celebrate and showcase the rich cultural diversity of Senegal and Africa in general. He expressed optimism that The Gambia will participate in the festival which is one month away. He added that other countries in the West African region; such as Mali, Guinea Bissau, and Guinea, will also participate in the cultural celebrations.
According to him, culture should be cherished by all and preserved for generation to come Mr. Paye described the relationship between The Gambia and Senegal as cordial, bonded by strong cultural ties since time immemorial. He further expressed gratitude for the warm reception accorded them by the Permanent Secretary and her team.
On receiving the Senegalese delegation, PS Cordu L. Jabang of Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, thanked the team for taking their valuable time to visit the Ministry and to inform them about the state of preparedness. PS Jabang further commended them for keeping the annual event going and assured them of her Ministry’s continued support and collaboration. She concluded by saying such events bring people together to learn, share, and exchange ideas on how to preserve and protect the beautiful cultural heritages.
