Howard University students visit Gambian embassy in Washington 

Twenty-eight students and three faculty members from the African Studies Summer Leadership Institute at Howard University on Monday, visited the Gambian embassy in Washington to learn about The Gambia, diplomacy, cultural heritage and Gambia–US relations. Howard is one of the most prominent historically black colleges in the US.
The Howard delegation was received by Ambassador Momodou Lamin Bah. The visit was part of a broader educational initiative designed to deepen young leaders’ understanding of Africa, diplomacy, and cultural heritage. The delegation was led by Mr Amat Jeng, a Gambian scholar, who works at the Department of African Studies at Howard.
In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Bah expressed his appreciation for the visit and thanked the visiting delegation for having selected the embassy as their first port of call. He highlighted the long-standing ties and fraternal relationships that exist between The Gambia and the United States, dating to the 18th century.
Ambassador Bah informed the visitors that The Gambia will be hosting the Roots Homecoming Festival in May 2026, an event that is expected to bring together Africans and people of African descent from across the globe for a weeklong celebration in the context of reconnection, re-imagination, and the revival of black cultural identity.
Speaking at the event, Retired General Yakuba Drammeh, the deputy head of mission, reaffirmed the embassy’s dedication to fostering educational and cultural diplomacy with US institutions, especially those advancing African-centred education and youth empowerment. He encouraged the students to embrace their studies with utmost commitment and dedication.
First Secretary Saikou Ceesay delivered a presentation on issues elated to the study tour.
Dr Traci Wyatt, Director of the African Studies Summer Leadership Institute at Howard, said the students were deeply inspired by the depth of the presentation and the interactive session that followed.
Mr Jeng expressed his commitment to deepening ties between The Gambian Embassy and Howard University through academic partnerships, particularly in leadership development and civic education.