By Yunus S Saliu
In celebration of the continent’s unique cultural and natural heritage, the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and partners Thursday converged at the Fort Bullen, Barra in North Bank Region to celebrate the 2021 Africa World Heritage Day sponsored by the National Commission for UNESCO – The Gambia.
Celebrating the day in new dimension, Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture harped on significant of the celebration saying Africa World Heritage Day is celebrates every 5th of May to create awareness about importance of heritage particularly, such, as this – Fort Bullen “which is UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
He noted that community involvement in wherever there is a heritage site is very important.
The NCAC boss said extending invitation and celebrating the day with students from different schools will help to bring the site closer to the communities. “Heritage has to be relevant to the need of the people that is why we don’t want the Fort just to stand here like this, it has to respond to the need and use of the communities,” he underlined.
DG Ceesay highlighted on some of their engagements in the community which include the training of youths on tour guiding and skills acquisition to let the residents know that the Fort has potentials that can benefit them which is important as it will help the communities to preserve and protect the site.
Delivering statement on behalf of the Secretary General of UNESCO at the event, Lamin Jarjou, Senior Program Officer noted that it is an opportunity for people around the world, particularly Africans, to celebrate the continent’s unique cultural and natural heritage.
He disclosed the UNESCO’s commitment in spearheading international efforts to draw on the vast potential of Africa’s cultural and natural heritage as a force for poverty refuctyion and social cohesion as well as a driver of sustainable development and innovation.
Through this international day, he said, UNESCO aims to increase global awareness of African heritage, with a special focus on youth and to mobilize enhanced cooperation for its safeguarding on the local, regional and global levels
Woman Counselor for Barra ward, Michelle Mendy, encouraged the school children especially the females to take good care of their education for better future, while she said “it is good to know your history so that ones can know where he or she belong.”
Musa Bah, Principal Mbullum Ahmadiyya Muslim High School expressed delight for honoring his school to be part of African World Heritage 2021 celebration.
He said to find solution to our problems there is need to look back and inward and understand ourselves by knowing our history, culture and heritage “which is why the celebration is an important occasion.
Mr Alfu Joof the VDC chairman for Barra applauded NCAC and National Commission for UNESCO for their full sponsored of the event.
Mamat Sallah, Assistant Director Museum and Monument NCAC thanked the audience for making the day fruitful and remarkable.
As part of the event marking the day, students and other participants were given lecture about the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, taken on a tour of the Fort Bullen and as well did some questions and answers administered by NCAC.