Oko, I extend my congratulations for being appointed Cultural Ambassador of The Gambia although you have been acting in that capacity unofficially for as long as I can remember. Cheers!! Sidi Sanneh -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From The Point, Wednesday, January 14, 2003 Article by Alhagie Mbye The renowned Gambian international music promoter and producer based in the Netherlands Momodou Oko Drammeh has been appointed as the new cultural ambassador for the International Roots Foundation. The IRF is a new institution established by the Department of State for Tourism and Culture in collaboration with the National Council for the arts and Culture and the Gambia Tourism Authority with a view to promoting cultural tourism in The Gambia and to institutionalise the international Roots calendar events. According to the release from the Roots Foundation, the responsibility of the IRF include inter alia: building a bridge for dross-cultural connections between Africans in the Diaspora and Africans on the continent; offering a programme of unique spiritual fulfilment through the experience of the living culture in the name of the Kunta Kinteh family; celebrating the richness and diversity of Gambian culture and promoting world peace through cultural cooperation. According to the letter conveying the news of Mr. Drammeh's appointment, his role as the IRF Ambassador is very crucial in the promotion of the Foundation and its activities, providing an extensive network of partners and colaborators on cultural activities and events and participating in the formulation of strategies and programmes of cultural activities especially in this year's Heritage Festival in June. Speaking to this reporter in an exclusive interview, Oko Drammeh said that he was delighted to be appointed as a cultural ambassador for the IRF and vowed that he will do his utmost best to live up to expectation, saying that he will work tirelessly to promote cultural tourism in The Gambia. Mr. Drammeh maintained that cultural tourism is one of the fastest growing economic resources in tourism throughout the world. Cultural tourism, he said, is based on the mosaic of places and traditions, and he said art forms the celebrations and experiences that portray a nation and its people. "In today's world of educated travellers, cultural tourism refers to the desire of people to learn about and understand the culture, history and traditions of the destinations that they are visiting' he added. Oko Drammeh further elucidated that IRF has just developed a program for June 26 and July 2, 2004 in partial fulfilment of its responsibilities. The programme, he said is one of many to be developed by IRF in a bid to provide a spectrum of cultural events geared towards providing our guests with a more satisfactory intellectual, moral and spiritual experience. "In the past, The Gambia has had a Roots Festival as a form of cultural celebration but IRF is now introducing a Roots Cultural event with a difference starting in year 2004' he noted. Meanwhile a cross section of the Gambian ciommunity expressed their satisfaction with the appointment of Oko Drammeh, stating that Mr. Drammeh is really fit and capable od serving as a cultuarl ambassador. Copy Right The Point Newspaper. All Rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ Find high-speed ‘net deals — comparison-shop your local providers here. https://broadband.msn.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~