The WCOPA is the one and only official talent Olympics for aspiring performers and entertainers with seventeen years of incredible growth.
It is the only premier international talent and modeling competition of Olympics for performing artists from around the world held every year, live at the world’s capital city of entertainment, Hollywood, California.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on Wednesday at the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Sheikh Omar Jallow, Director of Literature and Performing Arts at the NCAC, said the press conference was held to inform the general public about the great achievement The Gambia has registered, especially in performing arts.
Sheikh Omar Jallow told journalists that one of Gambia’s finest actors Modou Musa Ceesay is nominated to take part in the WCOPA in Hollywood.
According to him, Ceesay will represent The Gambia in Hollywood to compete with world stars for the Gold medal.
“We hope he will raise our country flag to higher heights in the United States,” he said.
“First of all I have to thank the Almighty Allah for been nominated to represent The Gambia, which is a great honour for me and I want to thank the Gambian leader for sponsoring the trip,the National Centre for Arts and Culture and the Gambia Theatre Association for their invaluable support,” Modou Musa Ceesay said.
He added that he has been yearning for this opportunity to make Gambia proud in the film industry and it is high time he saw Gambian film industry to another level.
Amadou Sillah, president of the Gambia Theatre Association, describes Modou Musa as a renowned Gambian actor capable of representing The Gambia.
He commended the Gambian leader and the NCAC for making the trip successful.
“Contestants from over 40 countries will ultimately participate vying for the ‘Gold’ plus $13,000 in scholarship,” Griff 0’Neil competition president said.
This is the only truly Olympic-style talent competition ever created and they have been planting seeds for the past fifteen years and are now ready to really showcase their spectrum of talents in both junior and adult divisions.
According to him, there are six categories of competition - dancing, singing, modeling, acting, instrumental and variety of arts - whilst each actor is allowed one minute to their skills.
“Over one hundred judges from the entertainment industry will be involved before the main prizes are awarded – Gold medals, official World Championship trophies and plaques, $30,000 in scholarships to the famed Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood, California, and $100,000 in scholarships to the esteemed Conservatory of Dramatic Arts for Film and Television in New York,” he said.
Mr 0’Neil added that the top prizes of all, are the popular titles of “Junior and Senior Grand Champion Performers of the World”
“Every Contestants is a ‘World star Winner’…the networking opportunities are inestimable, the competition experienced is beyond belief, accurate information about the industry is obtained through invaluable educational seminars, and the friendships made with talents throughout the world are priceless,” he said.
Earlier, on 18 March 2013, Momodou Lamin Touray, alias DJ Lil Sisqo, who is the National Director for Gambia, Senegal and Norway WCOPA, told Entertainment and Lifestyle that the event is open to all vocalists, actors, actresses, instrumentalists, models, poets, and even dancers among a host of other talents.
He further indicated that the move is another means of motivating aspiring talents in their drive to escalate and groom homegrown talents to another height.
“With the WCOPA you have the chance to meet producers, talent agents, directors, coaches, vocal masters, casting agents, and modeling agencies in Hollywood,” he added.