By Yunus S Saliu
The National Center for Arts and Culture (NCAC) under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTC), mandated to interpret, promote, and preserve the Gambia cultural heritage is gearing up to make sure that the thousands of guests including the Heads of State, Kings and Rulers attending the 15th Edition of the OIC Banjul Summit in The Gambia, from the 4-5 of May are fully immersed into the Gambia heritage and culture.
In a brief chat with Hassoum Ceesay, the Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture disclosed that the NCAC has completed efforts to play its part in making sure that the Banjul OIC Summit is a memorable and successful one.
He explained that already twenty-five young men and women from the city of Banjul have been trained to take visitors around the city’s heritage sites and interesting areas to allow them to have a very pleasant experience of the Banjul City
He said the training accorded the guide was meant to make sure that the guests who want to visit the heritage sites in Banjul from Arch 22 to McCarthy Square, Half-die, Kritting Houses, Old Secretariat, Clock Tower, and so on will have a memorable experience.
He went on that all the tour guides have been trained on how to receive visitors and give a positive image of the city of Banjul and the destination Gambia, the significance of the heritage sites in The Gambia the very important role Banjul has played, and continue to play in the socio-economic development of the country.
More so, he said the NCAC is busy giving a facelift to some of the iconic heritage sites in the country, as they are under part of the Act, “It’s been cleaned and spruced up so that visitors to the city will have a very refreshing welcome.”
Meanwhile, DG Ceesay added that the National Centre for Arts and Culture has started collecting memorabilia of the OIC Summit includes caps, t-shirts, and different items that will remind future generations about the OIC Banjul Summit. “It is important to collect memorabilia so that it is archived for future generations who in 50 years to come will know how this generation was able to host a successful OIC Summit.”
However, NCAC has prepared a concept note on the artistic performance which has been handed over to the OIC Secretariat to allow Gambian artists to engage in welcoming other ceremonies associated with the OIC.
All the museums across the country will be open for visitors until the late hours during the entire period of the OIC Banjul Summit starting from the 2nd of May to the 7th of May.
