By Yunus S Saliu
The staff of the Heritage Management Organization recently concluded its weeklong drone photography training held at the Heritage Management Organization and Training Centre in Barra, North Bank Region.
The conclusion of the training was marked with the presentation of the data collected to the Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture at the National Museum, Independence Drive, Banjul on the 20th December 2023.
The training which commenced from the 12th to 18th of December 2023 was twofold – theory and practical and it brought together fifteen heritage stakeholders trained on how to use a drone in heritage management with the focus of creating three-dimensional images at the Gambia heritage sites specifically, Kunta Kinteh Island in Juffureh/AlbredaDestination, and Fort Bullen at Barra Point all in North Bank Region.
However, the training is classified as one of the components of the HerMap Gambia Project, an EU-sponsored project in collaboration with the Heritage Management Organization and the National Centre for Arts and Culture, which intends to capacitate heritage professionals and stakeholders in the country.
Among other things, the training also enabled the gathering of relevant information for the interpretation of the sites, ensuring virtual tours by visitors through the installation of the facilities.
“Interestingly, the data collected during this training provides authentic monitoring and evaluation of the Sites,” EbrimaJammeh, a member of the Heritage Management Organization who also works at the NCAC as Destination Manager attested.
He explained, with respect to the willingness and the passion of the instructor, Dr. Corlinis Stal, that this ensured effective and efficient actualization of the objectives of the training, leaving the trainees yearning for more training opportunities of this kind.
Meanwhile, Dr. Stal Cornelis, Lecturer Research Fellow from University of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Built Environment extended his desire to further support in deepening the skills of the trainees saying his doors are wide open in this endeavour.
After the end of the weeklong training, Dr Stal was accompanied to the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) by Ebrima Jammeh, and Malick FK Kujabi to make a presentation of the data collected to the Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture.
In an audience, Hassoum Ceesay, the Director General of the NCAC commended the Heritage Management Organization for organizing such a very rare training in the Gambia for the Heritage Management Organization staff and other heritage stakeholders.
He, therefore, applauded Dr Stal for his dedication to the training and job well done noting that the work and training are very relevant because it is a data collection cherished by the Centre.
Once again, Director Ceesay expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Heritage Management Organization and the European Union for their great support of his institution and the country at large. He also expressed similar sentiments to the Gambia Civil Aviation Authorities and the Ministry of Interior for their support in this endeavour.
In addition, the participants expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to Heritage Management Organization, Dr. Corniliswith his two students who accompanied him, the National Centre for Arts and Culture, and by extension the European Union for creating such a magnanimous gesture to broaden their horizon on this aspect.