The three-day programme which was organised by the Association of Gambian Students in the Republic of Turkey (AGAST) exposed the students to a detailed interaction through lectures on strategic issues such as leadership skills and inter-cultural tolerance and communication.
Speaking during the closing session, The Gambia’s Ambassador to Turkey Mr Momodou Badjie challenged the students to be committed to their academics works and take advantage of the opportunities given to them. “The Gambia and Turkey have a lot of similarities in terms of religion and hospitality,” he said. “I want to challenge the students to learn from the Turkish development experience.”
Mr Badjie commended the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports for their contribution towards the success of the programme. He further applauded the students who took part in making the event a memorable one.
For his part, Mr Ebrima Njie, the president of Gambian Students in Turkey said the association was formed in December 2010 to facilitate and enhance the timely registration and documentation of all new students from The Gambia at their various universities in Turkey. He added that his association also provides financial assistance to students in need in a form of interest-free loans.
This year’s meeting according to Njie was organised through the support of the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports. “This will accord students the opportunity to acquaint themselves with different cultures and values and enable them to co-exist with other nationalities,” he said. He called on students traveling to Turkey to contact the executive or any other member through their Facebook page, ‘Asociation of Gambian Students in Turkey’. Njie also thanked the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports and the staff of the Embassy of The Gambia in Ankara for their support.
Also in attendance at the closing ceremony were the deputy ambassador of the Republic of The Gambia to Turkey Sering Modou Njie, the deputy director general of the Department of Education and Cultural Research at the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports, Nersin Erde the director of Education in the same Ministry, Rahmi Aksoy and Associate Professor Dr Zekeriya Mızırak of Necmettin Erbakan University in Konya. The historical city of Konya is home to current Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu. The event was delivered in the form of lectures on strategic issues like International Leadership skills and Intercultural tolerance and communication.
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