By Momodou Jarju
The National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has revealed that some cabinet minister will grace the prizes presentation ceremony of the United Nations 75 year anniversary (UN75) on poetry and painting competition in The Gambia which will be held on 25 September 2020 at the Banjul Arch.
Though the NCAC did not mention the names of the ministers that will grace the award ceremony, it is highly likely that the minister of tourism and culture will be among those in attendance.
NCAC also said the UN Country Co-ordinator to The Gambia and other senior Government officials and artists will grace the occasion.
“The prizes presentation ceremony will hold on 25 September 2020 at Banjul Arch, to be graced by cabinet ministers, UN Country Co-ordinator, senior Government officials and artists,” NCAC said in a statement.
About the competition
The United Nations (UN) is 75 years this year. To mark this milestone, the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in partnership with UN Gambia is organizing a national competition for writers and fine artists. This competition presents a unique opportunity to share one’s vision of the future using the hashtag #TheGambiaWeWantToSeeIn2045.
UN The Gambia has given NCAC D260,000 to cover the entire contest and selected finalists will be produced and their work aired on radio and television as well as on social media on the UN The Gambia handles and sister agencies.
This activity is being done in partnership with the Writers Association of The Gambia (WAG) and the Virtual Arts Association of The Gambia (VAAG). Already, sensitization tours have been done in all Gambian regions and T-shirts and face masks distributed.
The NCAC believes that this activity will help to support Gambian artists during the coronavirus pandemic, through engaging them as judges, or as participants, and cash prize winners. Already, a team of writers and fine artists have toured all the Regions to popularize the contests among the youth. Also, a virtual press conference had been held addressed by the UN Country Coordinator Ms. Seraphina Wakana and NCAC officials.
The Director General NCAC, Mr. Hassoum Ceesay, believes that the activity is NCAC’s proactive response to support Gambian artists during these trying times, and shows the great potential that inheres in the UN partnering with NCAC to strengthen arts and culture in The Gambia.
“We are inviting poets, writers and the entire fine artists’ community to fully participate and the deadline is 20th September,” NCAC said.
