By Yunus S Saliu
Taking into consideration the important and multiple roles of women in the society especially in promoting culture and heritage, the National Center for Arts and Culture (NCAC) over the weekend celebrated this year International Women’s Day at the National Museum, Banjul. On this world recognized international women’s day celebration, the male staff of the center gathered to rejoice with their female colleagues in recognition of efforts and roles women are playing in the museum and across the country.
Hassoum Ceesay, acting Director General of National Center for Arts and Culture congratulated women all over the world and described IWD as a day of reflection on what has been, what could be and what will be as far as women empowerment is concerned.
In any society according to the acting DG, women are culture players, transmitter of culture from mother to child “they transmit language, cultural norms and values to their children.” He added that in term of culture and artistic scenes women are doing extremely well in different areas like music, film and theatre, dance and drama, literature.
In further recognition of women roles in the museums, culture and heritages, he said part of NCAC plans in subsequent years is to celebrate IWD in a big way whereby the center will bring all women players in the arts and culture sector onboard for a daylong program of cultural and artistic event to celebrate the women.
The idea of celebrating the day in a modest way this year “is to rejoice with our female staff and encourage them to keep up the good work they are doing and as well assure them that subsequently we are going to organize a women’s day where women player in the arts and culture sector will be under one roof with series of programs.” The subsequent celebrations he noted will highlight women as promoters and disseminators of culture and heritage, showcase the women pioneers, women photographs and women in Gambia history before and from colonial rule, post-colonial rule exhibitions. But this will not be only photographs but exhibition of objects associated with them, their technologies, skills and crafts.
NCAC staff celebrating the IWD at the museum for the first time, the female staff in turn expressed their happiness and used the occasion to call on other women to be steadfast in their family, society, day-to-day activities. They as well urged all women to stop being a bench warmer when it comes to national development.