Sideline activities at the commemorations marking the 200th anniversary of the arrival of freed slaves in Jangjangbureh, formerly called Georgetown, started in the Central River Region capital yesterday ahead of tomorrow’s grand opening.
The event, packaged by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, will feature a symposium that will give an insight of what slavery was, what Jangjangbureh is, what Gambia is and Africa at large. There will also be a Senegambia trade fair to help the business community, and companies to showcase what they can sell as well as a display of cultural talents and artistic knowhow. “The houses that were built for the slaves when they came back, one of those houses is still in Jangjangbureh and I am sure people will be interested to see how we were treated as black people when we were freed from slavery and brought back to this country,” Tourism Minister Hamat recently told reporters about the event.
The opening ceremony tomorrow Saturday will feature a number of heads of state from the sub region including Presidents Macky Sall and Embalo from Guinea Bissau and host Adama Barrow. Reports from the town said a carnival atmosphere is building ahead of Saturday’s climax when the visiting dignitaries would grace the event.
