Kanilai, the home village of the Gambian leader, will be involved in a long weekened celebration of culture as the much-hyped Kanilai International Cultural Festival kick-starts this month in Kanilai Foni Kansala District. The event, which will run from 21st May to 7th June 2010 under the distinguished chief patronage of His Excellency President Sheikh professor Dr. Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, is designed to revive, promote and develop our rich cultural heritage and showcase the diverse performance traditions of different ethnic groups of the sub-region.
In a brief chat with Entertainment recently at the National Centre for Arts and Culture, Mr. Cornelius Gomez, director of Literature, Performing and Fine Arts, said this festival has been created by the president since 2001 and is the fifth. He added that this has been established and has created more awareness for African people and also play a higher role in national development. Director Gomez explained that coming up with this kind of festival is the biggest not only involving Gambians but as well as the Diaspora to come together and renew our African culture. It is going to be a very big festival because is going to include both Latin America, Europe as well as other countries. African musitical power will all demonstrate during the festival and there will be prices giving for the best performance in all different areas.
