The European Union has given out a financial support worth 34 million dalasis to Gambia’s tourism sector that seeks to conserve and promote the country’s cultural heritage.

The project titled “Initiative for Heritage Conservation – HerMap-Gambia” is designed to strengthen Civil Society and Local Authorities as partners for developing cultural heritage management skills and thus investing in the enhancement of local cultural ecosystems and better integrating them in broader development strategies.

It aims at building the capacity and skills of local partners by transferring skills and knowledge within traditional and emerging heritage professions through the delivery of community trainings, creation of online workshops and online Heritage Management Courses Platform.

In a statement, the EU Ambassador to The Gambia Attila Lajos said “trainings will focus amongst others on sustainable tourism, museum management, heritage marketing, heritage branding, digital tools for recording and managing heritage.

“With its rich historical and cultural background, including two cultural sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, The Gambia’s culture is a driving force for the creative and cultural sectors. Furthermore, it is an important resource that could support economic growth, social cohesion and employment through the promotion of sustainable tourism.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba