The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) yesterday commenced the 1st edition of the National Art Contest Exhibition at The Gambia National Olympic House in Mile 7, Bakau.
The contest is staged under the theme: “Sport and the Olympic Values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect”.
GNOC President Alhagie Momodou Dibba has urged the student partcipants to take the art contest serious, adding that the winners will represent The Gambia at an international contest in Brazil.
Dibba said GNOC is also promoting sport and environment while the winners will receive cash prizes and the non-winners certificates.
He challenged the sports masters to assist their students in sport.
Speaking at the contest, the chairperson of the sub-committee of Culture and Education Commission, Amira Ghanim Jagne, said the contest is open for all artists to participate with the hope of encouraging and training young ones.
She said: “This will help amateur artists with talents to propel and be raised to the highest height and to exhibit their skills and knowhow in the area of art as well as to further expose them to heighten their perception of the link between the worlds of art, culture, and education nationally and internationally.”
According to her, the contest is in two phases, a national and international one, which consists of two categories - sculpture and graphic work.
She said it is held every four years by the IOC and its partners as part of its celebration to coincide with the Olympic Games.
Other speakers at the ceremony included Chairman of Education and Culture Commission, Tamsir S.A. Njie and the Director Youth and Sport, Malang Jassey.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the executive secretary of the National Sports Council, Mamudou Max Jallow, and other dignitaries.
The GNOC Sports Arts Contest is open to the public and registered individuals for the 2012 contest.
The winning artwork forwarded for the contest will be sent to IOC where it will join the International Sport Arts Contest Competition.
The award ceremony for the winning contestants will be held on Saturday, 25 February, at the Olympic House at 4.00pm.
