By Yunus S Saliu
The National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), in partnership with the Heritage Management Organization, presented and launched the Gambia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Register on Monday, December 16, 2024.
The presentation and launching of this ICH Register was held at the NCAC Annex along Kairaba Avenue and was sponsored by the Heritage Management Organization. Attending the presentation and launching ceremony of this document were officials from the Heritage Management Organization, NCAC, GTBoard, Ministries of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, university lecturers, the ICH facilitators among other stakeholders.
Over the years, from 2021 to 2024, the National Centre for Arts and Culture carried out inventory exercises of the Gambia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in 30 communities across the country for sustainability, and listed purposes.
Speaking before the launch, Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of the NCAC, thanked the Heritage Management Organization and partners – UNESCO-NATCOM and ICH facilitators for their support while describing the ICH Register as an important document.
With this ICH Register, he said they should be able to take one or more of the elements to seek for their list, starting as early as possible in coming 2025 “and this would be done with the support of the ICH facilitators and the government.
Once again, through Denise Navarro, he thanked Dr Evangelos Kyriakidis Director of Heritage Management Organization, Greece, for supporting the Centre for the launching, in an extension thanked the staff of the NCAC and HerMaP Gambia Project, an EU-sponsored project.
Denise Navarro, Project Manager for The Gambia Projects of the Heritage Management Organization transmitted Dr Evangelos Kyriakidis statement of collaboration’s podcast to the audience.
Speaking in the transmitted message, Dr Evangelos Kyriakidis, Director General of the Heritage Management Organization – Greece said the launched ICH Register will lay a firm foundation for the documentation to be taken seriously and done properly so that they can use it for the benefit of communities, individuals, families, and ultimately for the identity of every Gambian and a lot of the people who are looking at the Gambia as a place of origin.
NCAC, he noted, has been making large strides in the last few years, by building its capacity, developing its programs, and engaging with communities, “and we are very proud here at the Heritage Management Organization to be a key partner of NCAC in their very significant efforts.”
He continued that “HerMaP Gambia Program, co-funded by the European Union, has enabled us to provide access to workshops and train but also get trained by colleagues in the Gambia,” while noting that scores of colleagues in all different districts, as more than 250 colleagues have received training in local communities, in NGOs, in for profits in the state.
“Most recently, a group of Parliamentarians came to Greece and worked with us to develop a heritage caucus, which we very much hope to be another vehicle for promotion of heritage in the country. I, therefore, thank everybody for their active engagement, good partnership, and collaboration,” Dr.Evangelos appreciated everyone.
Maimuna Sidibeh, Secretary-General of NATCOM-UNESCO applauded NCAC, Heritage Management Organization, partners, and all those who have worked tirelessly to make the document and launching possible while extending appreciation to the former director general of the NCAC for being around to witness the presentation and launch of the ICH Register.
She reiterated the effort of the NCAC Which the National Commission for UNESCO is really proud of for coming up with such an initiative. Possibly, this is the first time in The Gambia we are having such research and presenting for funding.”
The NATCOM-UNESCO Secretary-General noted that the Alliance in office between UNESCO and the government of the Gambia is to promote the ideas of UNESCO, as well as to also promote the interests of the government of the Gambia of which culture is paramount.
Baba Ceesay, the former director general of the NCAC also delivered a short speech, Siaka Fadera the DDG of the NCAC delivered the vote of thanks while Sanna Jarju, the ICH Focal Person in The Gambia gave a welcoming remarks at the launch.
