A delegation of 34 students, accompanied by 4 teachers from the Norwegian Dance College in Oslo, Norway, last Saturday April 29 staged a remarkable art and cultural performance at the Marina International Junior school in Bakau.

The rare cultural performance backed up by Education through Culture and Communication (ECCO) and the Marina International School, is part of a series of fund raising activities meant to assist schools and vulnerable students from less privilege families in the Gambia.
Mr. Babou Sarr, programme coordinator of the Education through Culture and Communication (ECCO) in the Gambia, speaking to Arts and Culture at the site of the multi-cultural cultural performance noted that, his organisation was founded in 1996, by himself and Mrs. Guro Heilmann from Norway. He added that the objectives of the organisation is geared towards bringing different and diverse cultures of the world together under one roof and to bring about mutual understanding between people of the world through culture among others he said.

According to the ECCO country coordinator, his organisation is currently working with many countries in the world towards achieving objectives of the organisation he said. Mrs. Ann Kristin Norum, vice councilor of the Norwegian Dance College and head of the delegation to the Gambia, expressed delight on behalf of her colleagues to their Gambian counterparts over what she described as the humanitarian and hospitable gesture extended to them.
The delegation arrived in the Gambia on the 19 April, purposely to learn Gambian culture such as the arts of drumming, dancing, singing, clapping among others. She said that her students have mastered each of the activities within duration of 3 days and they are well assertive with performances of Gambian cultures. She revealed that, the visiting students are pursuing various degrees in her University and that some are doing bachelors and masters etc.

Mrs. Ndey Jallow, Deputy head Mistress of Marina International Junior school in her capacity  as the host, described the cultural showcase as a remarkable one in the life of students of both schools noting that, the event will greatly expose students of both schools to each others culture and help cement their relationships. She amplified comments made by previous speakers that the event is a charitable  course meant to fulfill human obligations to each other which is to render assistance to each other, especially the poor in our midst.