Thousands of people from The Gambia and the sub-region on Saturday, June 23, 2007, converged at the village of Kanilai in the Foni Kansala District of Western Region, the birth place of President Yahya Jammeh, for the official opening of the 4th edition of the Kanilai International Cultural Festival.

Declaring the 16 days event open, President Yahya Jammeh, the Patron of Kanilai International Cultural Festival, said that The Gambia is a peaceful and stable country, thanks to the tolerance of each others cultural diversity. He said that the lack of respect for each others culture has results to instability.
According to The Gambian leader, nations are built based on societies and societies built based on families and each family has its culture. “For families to develop into societies and societies to become nations, we have to accept, understand and respect each others culture.”

President Jammeh told the gathering that the Kanilai International Cultural Festival is now becoming a household name, this is attributing to the participation of the valian people of  Mali, Burkinafaso, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau and other countries that have always participate in the event. “I want to thank you and thank my colleagues, Presidents of the respective countries. We appreciate the fact that you are with us to celebrate what will become the bridge to bring progress, peace and stability in Africa,” he said.

He then reminded the participating groups that the event is a festival as well as a competition. “Throughout the festival, we have problems especially with the local cultural groups. Some of them don’t come to participate on time. We have to be running after them. Since this is a competition, we are not going to wait for any group. If we call you and you are absent or you are late, you have zero point. Tomorrow, if you loose the cup don’t blame anybody because there are cups for everyone who can excel.

For the international groups, we never have problem. The host should be a good example rather than a bad example. If you are late twice, the third time you should pack and go home because you are here for the cultural festival and not for anything else. If you fail to turn up twice, the third time we will send you a truck for you to go home wherever you come from. There will be no compromise in that. You have come for the festival, attend the programme. If you have not come for the festival then you have no reason to be here in Kanilai,” he concluded.

For her part, the Secretary of State for Tourism and Culture, Ms Angela Colley, thanked President Jammeh for “preserving and guiding” the cultural heritage of The Gambia. She said The Gambia has a leader who gives priority to arts and culture he has demonstrated this in numerous ways through donations to artists financially and materially.
SoS Colley then thanked President Jammeh for patronising the festival due to his vision of uniting Africa for better development.

Masire Jammeh, the Alkalo of Kanilai village, in his brief speech, said The Gambia is at the fore front of cultural activities and prayed for lasting peace and stability in the country.
After the official opening, participating groups in their cultural attires were all paraded before the President with other dignitaries.