By: Nyima Sillah
Fulbe Africa, a group of Fulani tribe from all over west African has recently held its intercultural conference in Senegambia.
The conference aimed at unifying Gambians, diversifying the cultural heritage and ensuring peaceful coexistence in the country.
Speaking at the intercultural conference, Alieu Sowe, President of Fulbe Africa said FA organized the intercultural conference to create a platform where diverse ethnic groups would start a new conversation to maintain and promote peace and unity among Gambians irrespective of different backgrounds.
He noted that the group came-up with this initiative after recognizing increasing religious and ethnic tensions in the world, especially some African countries.
So we urged stakeholders to embrace tolerance and support initiatives that would foster respect, peaceful co-existence and dialogue among people of different cultures and religions backgrounds.
He therefore assured FA nonstop commitment to work with all to promote cultural heritage as well as peaceful coexistence in The Gambia, while commended all partners as well as the first family for attending the event.
However, Hassoum Ceesay, director general of the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) commended FA for the great initiative in unifying Gambians. He said culture would play a key role in ensuring peaceful coexistence among neighbors.
“National language also plays a crucial role in unifying the public because if someone visits people and speaks their language they will love and appreciate that person. Language is important,” he said, while urging Gambians to embrace speaking diverse languages.
Furthermore, Bakary Y Badjie, Minister of Youth and Sports said: “Culture is part of us and we must do everything to retain it. Of course, there are some cultures that we think are bad and we must change it but it is our responsibility as young people to keep learning, understanding, sustaining and uphold the cultures that we have.”
He said the youth have a responsibility to promote their various cultures as well embrace cultures of other tribes to ensure peaceful coexistence in the country, adding if the youth failed to learn their cultures, then the country could risk losing her cultures.
