Senegambia Alive & Unbreakable in Wisconsin

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Senegambia Alive & Unbreakable in Wisconsin

BY Yero Jallow (Dalton) & BF Ceesay

August 3, 2005
In Madison, Wisconsin - one of the states of the U.S, Senegambia philosophy and bond relation is really unbreakable. In a symposium held at the Madison East side library, organized by the Senegambia Association went well on Saturday the 30th of July, 2005. On the high table panel was the association President Mr. Samba Batch Baldeh -chairing the symposium; Vice president of the association, Senegalese born national Ibrahima Dumbuya; Madison state community resources coordinator, Mr. Bruce Newton; Interior director of Affirmative Action department - also former assistant and chief of staff to Madison's mayors office, Soglin and Bauman-Enis Ragland; Midwest coordinator of STGDP, Mr. Joe Sambou. Attendees of this program include representatives from AllGambian, Gambians from Chicago (IL), Minneapolis (MN) and other neighbouring states.

In the opening chapter, the president of Senegambia association in Wisconsin, Mr. Samba Batch Baldeh reinstated commitment to serve the people. He gave a brief history of the Senegambian association and outlined the programs his association have in the pipeline and went further to say this is the beginning of the series of activities his association will undertake. In a very touching tone, he said "Gambians and Senegalese are the same and we must never be divided at all ".

The vice president of the association, Mr. Dumbuya mainly focused his speech on "role of the African Diaspora in sustainable development issues". Mr. Dumbuya quoted JF Kennedy by saying "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". Mr. Dumbuya cautioned Africans and their descendants to take pride in their origin and work towards development and building structures in Africa. "When we talk about Africans in the Diaspora, we mean Africans outside their birth places and grandchildren of slaves", he lamented.

Both Enis Ragland and Bruce Newton reiterated the need for societies to be aware of each other and in that the city of Madison, Wisconsin welcomes foreigners to the highest esteem. They promise to maintain working relations with different associations and their doors are open for any projects that these associations want to get into. Joe Sambou, in his turn thanked the association for the invitation and talked about the need to help the STGDP realise its aims and objectives and this he said is only possible with the unification of Gambians with all hands on deck.

Meanwhile the president of the association expressed regret for their inability to have a representative from the other side of the political divide. He emphasized the Association's desire for fairness representation. The symposium ended with an open floor of questions to panelists.

In a similar development, there was a BBQ organized at a park and a soccer match between Gambians in Madison (Wisconsin) and those in Minneapolis (Minnesota), in which the host defeated the invitees with four goals to two. At night was the grand party with rich African music echoing the neighborhood till 2.00am on Sunday.

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