On April 10th and 11th 2021, Beakanyang conducted a unity festival at Taibatou village in the Upper River Region of The Gambia. The Unity festival formed part of the project activities of the Badingbung Initiative funded by African Transitional Justice and Legacy Fund (ATJLF).
The event was graced by various the cultural groups in the region such as the Mandinka, Fula, Sarahule, the Sierra Leonean cultural group.
It was also attended by victims of human rights violations, youth leaders and respective stakeholders within the region and other spectators from different villages within the region.
Among the issues raised during the unity festival was plight of victims, political tolerance, diversity and the need to foster peace within the regional and reconciliation respectively.
The aim of the unity festival was to foster community healing for sustainable peace and development through cultural manifestation.
As part of the mandate of Beakanyang to promote peace, human rights and communal healing through reconciliation and cultural manifestation, the organization provided platform for cultural groups to showcase their talents which aroused a joyous interest of the spectators (including victims of human rights violations), irrespective of their culture, political and ethnic differences. The enthusiastic performance manifested by various cultural group were unanimously appreciated by diverse number of spectators who cherished the performance.
Prior to the cultural performance, the chairman of the Badingbung initiative, and Alkalo of Taibatou Mr. Alhagie Mbemba Jabbie expressed his appreciation to Beakanyang for promoting peace and human rights within the region and beyond.
He expressed his community’s happiness in hosting the activity that they have never hosted in the history of the village.
Representing the NGO Affairs Agency at the forum, Mr. Modou Danso, Regional Program Officer for URR acknowledged the relentless efforts of Beakanyang in promoting human rights and peace within the region. I
“We are fully aware of the activities of Beakanyang and would like to encourage you to keep up the momentum by changing livelihoods and promoting peace,” says Mr. Danso.
Speaking on the occasion, Yahya Sumareh Board Chairman of Beakanyang reiterated his organization’s commitment in promoting communal healing, peace and political tolerance in the region. Mr. Sumareh further thanked ATLF for supporting the Badinbung initiative and urged the people of the region to maintain peace at all times.
“Taibatou Beakanyang Kafo is proud to host the muct talked about URR Unity Festival. We are also grateful to Beakanyang for the Badinbung Initiative and for enlightening us about our rights,” says Ma Ansa Jawneh, President.
It provided victims, survivors and perpetrators to meet once more, interact and consolidate their new relations.
The spectators cheered the peaceful manifestation of cultural activities and speeches delivered by the notable individuals.
Irrespective of political, cultural and tribal difference, the event brought over five hundred (500) spectators who cherished the cultural manifestation of various tribal groups. Thus, triggered the unionism intended by the organization.
While there was no specific evaluation for the festival, the general comments from participants indicates that the festival has no doubt increased knowledge and understanding of political tolerance and pluralism among the participants.
As far as this project is concerned, all the main activities were successfully implemented as planned. However, the Badingbung initiatives anticipates to continue its monitoring and evaluation missions to all the four districts participating in the project.
which was part of the reconciliation strategies employed by the initiative. More peace and justice side meetings will be held with individual victims and their perpetrators especially those who could not made it to the Bantabas.
Beakanyang Executive Director Mr. Nfamara Jawneh reiterated his organization’s commitment in promoting peace, human rights and social cohesion in communities across the region.
He further disclosed that the Bandingbung initiative of Beakanyang is here to stay even if the project phased out thanks to its impact.