By Yunus S Saliu
The HerMaP Gambia training workshop, organized by the Heritage Management Organization and co-funded by the European Union, has successfully concluded its comprehensive series of training aimed at strengthening the country’s tourism and cultural sectors.
The training was designed for a diverse group of stakeholders and provided valuable insights and hands-on experience in heritage preservation, sustainable tourism, and community engagement.
The training covered took place in the framework of the HerMaP Gambia program, 2020-2025.
Over the course of several weeks, participants from various backgrounds across regions in The Gambia ranged from local community cultural leaders and organizers, tourism professionals, and cultural preservationists, to festival managers and operators, and others. All these came together online and at workshops to share skills, experiences, and knowledge and also used the opportunity to network among themselves. This is to foster collaboration and learn the essential knowledge needed to protect and promote the Gambia’s rich cultural heritage.
Various online and workshop training courses included Community Tourism Planning and Development, Introduction to Heritage Management and Team Development for NCAC, Festival Management and Operations, and more.
Recently, celebrating The Gambia Diamond Jubilee, the Heritage Management Organization organized an event to mark the end of the training and certificates presentation to over one hundred participants who successfully participated in this training. The event was punctuated with an art exhibition.
The event was presided over by Dr Evangelos Kyriakidis, Director of Heritage Management Organization, Greece, and joined by other officials of Heritage Management, including Maria Kagkelidou, Denise Navarro, and others. The Deputy Speaker and members of the National Assembly, EU Representative, Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture and other dignitaries attended the event held at Ocean Bay Hotel, Cape Point – Bakau, The Gambia.
The successful completion of this workshop marks a significant milestone in Gambia’s efforts to create a more sustainable and inclusive tourism industry. By equipping stakeholders with the tools and knowledge to effectively manage and promote the nation’s heritage, the program has set the stage for a brighter future for tourism and cultural preservation in the Smiling Coast of Africa.
