Proudly presented by AfricAfriq Productions, The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and Outboost Xpress, this event will be a game changer as the country prepares for end of year parties, while celebrating diversity in unity and social cohesion.
This four-day event which is to held at the GCCI Ground in Bijilo, will also seek to provide unparalleled visibility and engagement opportunities for stakeholders to network and partner in promoting their businesses to another height. In short, Sunu Fest 2024 is here to showcase the best of what the country has to offer.
While encompassing all types of entertainment, this first-ever event has in stock personnel, who are ready to cater for a diverse audience with over 200 stalls.
At a concept presentation ahead of the event held on Wednesday at EM Holding Company Ltd in Kotu, Abdul Azziz Willan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AfricAfriq Productions, spoke highly of the event and said it couldn’t have come at a better time than now.
The renowned promoter noted that it has been the same pattern all these years since inception for all these past years, further indicating that without hesitation he has been there since especially when it comes to Gambian showbiz. “We’ve done our bit and made a mark.”
He also talked about the type of stage they want to feature at Sunu Fest 2024, saying the event will be history in Gambian showbiz.
He thus called on all especially those who want to partner with them in the hosting of the event.
He said the event is basically to celebrate the beauty and diverse cultural landscape of the country but that it entails a lot more than that.
“This is an event in which we’re looking forward to sell the image, culture and tradition, food and even hidden talents of The Gambia.”
He thanked Mr Muhammed Jah of Q-Group and Edrissa Mass Jobe, chairman of EM Holding Company and all those who supported the initiative for their efforts.
Presenting an animation concept of the whole initiative and what people can expect, Baboucarr Njie, founder of Outboost Xpress, acknowledged that in most tourism focused countries like Ghana and Barbados, there is a lot of excitement among people especially when one talks about tourism.
Njie referenced that for The Gambia, the country has been naturally gifted with so many resources, citing the beach, culture and the traditions.
“We want to use that as a heartbeat of Sunu Fest in promoting Destination Gambia. Sunu Fest is going to be an annual cultural and traditional festival blending in some sort of feature to export and promote trade among small and medium size enterprises.”
He spoke highly of the country’s unique potentials ranging from its rich cuisine, traditions and welcoming people.
Despite the country’s size, Njie acknowledged that Destination Gambia has a lot to share and this is a great opportunity for people who want to know and explore Gambian cultures.
The Gambia, he added, is a root to so many people and has a rich history, making reference to famous Kunta Kinteh as portrayed in the novel, ‘Roots’, adding that surprisingly, many people didn’t know that this story originated from The Gambia.
Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), while commending Mr. Abdul Azziz Willan for the concept and foresight in organising such an important fest, said he’s impressed with the outlook and concept of the initiative.
The event, he added, will no doubt boost the country’s culture while cementing social cohesion and unity through entertainment.
He assured of his full support, further expressing optimism that the fest will someday grow into a big national fest that will enrich the country’s cultural calendar.
Musa Dem, package and development manager at The Gambia Tourism Board, on behalf of DG GTBoard, lauded the initiative undertaken by AfricAfriq CEO and partners.
He equally expressed delight with the presentation and some of the content activities they want to promote during the fest, saying GTBoard always uses culture as an attraction to promote Destination Gambia.
He described their concept as authentic and that is something they want to offer to visitors, especially those interested in exploring culture and heritage.
“This is a gap that needs to be filled in the country. It is something that we’ve realised they need to work on as Destination. This is a good initiative especially for a Gambian to come up with such notable concept.”
To that end, Dem expressed his board’s continued partnership to partner with the organisers in ensuring a successful event.
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