By Yunus S Saliu
The National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in conjunction with UNESCO-NATCOM The Gambia and key stakeholders in Banjul on Tuesday, 16th May 2023 embarked on phase one of the inventory of Banjul’s historic buildings and sites values for informed policy drive towards urban heritage conservation.
The Inventory of Historic Banjul Built Heritage Project is funded by UNESCO in Paris through the Participation Program and is meant for informed policy towards urban heritage conservation and valorization into UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
After the inauguration of the project on 27th of April 2023, two weeks on, phase one of the inventory kicked start last Tuesday, among places inventoried on the first day by the inventory team during the fieldwork exercise were the National Museum Building, Quadrangle Building, Cholera Obelisk; McCarthy Square, World War Memorial, King George V Memorial Fountain all in Banjul.
Hassoum Ceesay, the Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) expressed gratitude to UNESCO in Paris and their partner in the Gambia UNESCO NATCOM for funding the project which he described as “very significant to not only the BCC but the country in general.
This project, he emphasized, will help to conserve and protect the history of Banjul and it is worth knowing that Bathurst called Banjul was established over 200 years ago hence the British occupied it in 1816.
Before the commencement of the inventory, the NCAC and inventory team made up of Banjul ward councilors, community and religious leaders, historians, officials of NCAC, and media, were given an orientation and review of all necessary information concerning the inventory of historic built heritage and sites of Banjul.
However, places like parks, squares, worship houses, shrines and so on that are believed of historic interest will be visited as the inventory team continues the inventory exercise of Banjul’s historic buildings, and sites.