Hi! The tendency for Gambians to shy away from conferences and seminars is not limited to Atlanta. Maybe it is hightime to include some incentive in the seminars to attract attendees especially the sisters. The political parties in Jamaica used to engage such tactics to attract crowds. They would offer free shows using popular bands. In the middle of the performances, the bands would take a break and the politicians, having the crowd they want, would step on the platform and deliver their message. Maybe a "Mbahal" get-together can be thrown into the Atlanta conference to spur more people to attend especially the sisters. The "Mbahal" thing comes to mind because when the OGIS took a poll of some of the women in Stockholm asking them which social activities they want the organisation to do for them, many of them said they would like a "Mbahal" get-together with some "tama" drumming. The "tama" doesn't have to be part of the seminar but maybe serving "Mbahal" and/or some rare Gambian dishes at a nominal fee during the interval might tempt some to attend. Simple? Who knows what will work? Thanks. Buharry. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------