The Gambia government tried, I was a in Gambia in a government office were leads 
were on for this mini World festival, they contacted The Gambia for a preview 
version to be held in the Gambia. They just don't give a damn. We  have a 
cultural relations on government level. They should have extended an invitation 
to us. The Gambia has been so nice to give them tax fee for performing artists 
as neighbours, same traditions. We must review our cuiltural positions if it is 
Win-Win or Monkey work baboob eat!

The last time they did it and Sekou Toure attacked them and the neo colonial 
theme , Gambia was there tpo support them. We went and we performed.

Great thinkers of gambia
But Gambia have other artists and thinkers not only music, just to name a few: 
Dr Sulayman Nyang, Dr Mbaye Cham, Lawyers & Doctors, Book writes, Scientists, 
Poets, Great thinkers, Kora families, Musicians, Painters, Dancers, 
instrumentalists, not limited only to the family Politics of Gambia but the 
culture, its older than the Politicians:
 there are great Gambians who could have been added value to the festival and 
give it a dynamic Panafrican facelift and a diasporic inclusion to African 
unity.

Lastly, how can they by-pass the world famous Roots by Alex Harley and the 
 legacy of Kunta Kinteh.

It's Neo Colonoialism, it's done by the support by Europeans, EU money, RFI, 
Francophone Commune, etc. 


We still yarn for an African cultural Festival: THE AFRICAN UNITY FESTIVAL FOR 
PEACE.

Only for patriots ! Maybe in Gambia soon.

Oko Drammeh
Sotokoto

 



________________________________
From: Fye samateh <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thu, December 2, 2010 7:28:22 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: [Network Africa Sweden] Black Arts Festival in Senegal Next 
Week


 Bro Oko i agree totally with your assessment and i wonder the same thing but 
surely the image of the Gambia Government must have some thing to do with it..

Pitty for the Gambian musicians who can gain alot from this festival....However 
thanks for your contribution and hopeully Ifangbondi will be there as well

Respect...


On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 7:01 PM, oko drammeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Fye, 
>The Gambia is not present there.
>
> All year round we arte giving jobs and employement to Senegalese musicians and 
>artists. So much money and work.How come Gambia is not there. 
>
>What is this?
>
>Thanks for this great posting.
>
>
>
________________________________
From: Fye samateh <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Sent: Thu, December 2, 2010 6:50:53 PM
>Subject: Fwd: [Network Africa Sweden] Black Arts Festival in Senegal Next Week
>
>
>
>> Subject: MEDIA ADVISORY: US Delegation to Black Arts Festival in Senegal Next 
>>Week
>> 
>> NCBM Logo
>> MEDIA ADVISORY
>> December 1, 2010
>> 
>> High-Powered US Delegation Heading for World Festival of Black Arts in 
Senegal
>> 
>> African American Artists, Mayors, Senators, Scientists to Participate
>> 
>> For only the third time in 50 years, an unprecedented gathering of black 
>>artists, writers, filmmakers, academics, scientists, and other leaders in many 
>>fields will convene in Africa for an historic celebration. The World Festival of 
>>Black Arts and Cultures, under the auspices of President Abdoulaye Wade of 
>>Senegal and his fellow African leaders, begins Dec. 10 in Dakar, Senegal, and 
>>will continue through Dec. 31.
>> 
>> A high-powered U.S. delegation of more than 200 African-American leaders will 
>>participate in the Festival, including groups from the National Conference of 
>>Black Mayors, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the National 
>>Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, and the African American 
>>Unity Caucus (AAUC), who will travel to Senegal from Dec. 8 - 17 for the event. 
>>In all, thousands of delegates from 80 countries will converge on Dakar.
>> 
>> Among U.S. delegates are Dr. Julius Garvey, son of Marcus Garvey; actor Richard 
>>Gant; jazz legend Randy Weston; Professor James Turner, Cornell University; Dr. 
>>Johnetta Cole, Director of the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian 
>>Institution; Professor Leonard Jeffries, City University of New York; Runoko 
>>Rashidi, noted historian; Dr. Elsie Scott, the President & CEO of the 
>>Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Mississippi State Sen. Frazier Hillman; 
>>New York State Sen. Bill Perkins; Columbus (Ohio) Mayor Michael B. Coleman; 
>>Wayne Watson, president, Chicago State University; and Ron Himes, 
>>founder/director, The Saint Louis Black Repertory Theater.
>> 
>> In a letter to members of the delegation, President Wade said he looked forward 
>>to welcoming them to Senegal. "The African Union has requested that Senegal 
>>organize the Festival, which will be the largest global gathering to date of 
>>black artists, writers, filmmakers, intellectuals, scientists and other 
>>luminaries, and we anticipate that people will travel from all over the world 
>>for the occasion,'' said President Wade.
>> Dr. Djibril Diallo, Coordinator of the U.S. Committee for the World Festival of 
>>Black Arts and Cultures and Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of UNAIDS 
>>(the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), said the size and depth of the 
>>delegation underscore the historic nature of the Festival. Melvin Foote, the 
>>President and CEO of the Constituency for Africa and the Founder of the African 
>>American Unity Caucus, was also pleased with how the delegation came together. 
>>Said Foote, "I think that the quality of participants taking part in the 
>>delegation to Senegal speaks volumes about the potential of the African 
>>Diaspora. I think the visit will provide a unique opportunity to build trust and 
>>collaboration amongst Diaspora leadership in the United States."
>> 
>> "The Festival will be a landmark event, bringing together great artists and 
>>intellectuals from around the world to celebrate the theme of African 
>>Renaissance," Dr. Diallo said. "The Festival will also be an important 
>>opportunity to highlight the role of art and culture in promoting development 
>>and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, including 
>>progress in reversing the AIDS epidemic."
>> One highly anticipated event is a discussion involving President Wade and 
>>members of the National Conference of Black Mayors, the National Black Caucus of 
>>State Legislators, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher 
>>Education and the National Basketball Association/Africa (NBA/Africa) at the 
>>recently completed Monument of African Renaissance on the theme of African 
>>Renaissance, looking towards the creation of the United States of Africa in 
>>2017, as declared by the African Union.
>> 
>> While in Senegal, the delegation will meet privately with President Wade and 
>>participate in myriad Festival activities, including attending concerts by 
>>Rihanna, Jay-Z, Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N'Dour, and Baaba Maal; a soccer match 
>>between Senegal and Brazil; a visit to Gorée Island, designated a UNESCO World 
>>Heritage site in commemoration of the painful history of the Atlantic slave 
>>trade; and participation in the Forum on African Renaissance.
>> 
>> A Roundtable on Friday, Dec. 17 at 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Méridien 
>>President Hotel will focus on ways that the Festival and other cultural 
>>activities can contribute to the achievement of the MDGs by 2015, with the 
>>campaign against AIDS as entry point. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of 
>>UNAIDS and Under Secretary General of the United Nations, will give a keynote 
>>statement, and participants will include Professor Iba Der Thiam, Forum Chairman 
>>of the Festival; Lebohang Morake (Lebo M), Eminent Member of the Advisory Board 
>>of the Festival and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador; and Syndiely Wade, Deputy 
>>General Coordinator of the Festival.
>> 
>> The Festival will foster dialogue between Africa, its Diaspora, and the entire 
>>world regarding the contributions of black cultures to humanity. The guest of 
>>honor will be Brazil, which has one of the largest black populations in the 
>>world. A delegation of more than 200 Brazilians is expected in Dakar for the 
>>festivities.
>> 
>> This is the third World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures, following previous 
>>festivals in Dakar in 1966 and Lagos, Nigeria in 1977. Former Senegalese 
>>President Leopold Sedar Senghor initiated the festivals to highlight the visible 
>>and tangible products of African peoples' struggles to win back their dignity in 
>>a land that had only recently been returned to African rule.
>> 
>> Among musical stars who will perform
> are Hugh Masekela (South Africa), Salif Keita (Mali), , Bembeya Jazz (Guinea), 
>Marcus Miller (U.S.), Habib Koité (Mali), Chucho Valdes with the Afro-Cuban Jazz 
>Messengers (Cuba), Lokua Kanza (Congo),Kassav (Martinique/Guadeloupe), Alpha 
>Blondy (Côte d'Ivoire), Orquesta de la luz (Japan), Haitian Toubadors (Haiti), 
>Chico Freeman (U.S.), and I Jah Man (Jamaica).
>> 
>> Dr. Diallo expressed thanks to Melvin Foote, President of Constituency for 
>>Africa; Dr. Gloria Herndon, President of GB Herndon and Associates; Vanessa R. 
>>Williams, Executive Director of the National Conference of Black Mayors; and 
>>LaKimba Desadier, Executive Director of the National Black Caucus of State 
>>Legislators , for assistance with arranging for participation by political 
>>leaders in the U.S. delegation; and to Professor Leonard Jeffries for assistance 
>>with participation by academic experts.
>> 
>
>
>
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¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤The Gambia tried, I 
wasa in Gambia when they contacted The Gambia for a preview version to be held 
in the Gambia. They just givwe a damn


     

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