Hon. Hamat N.K. Bah, the Minister of Tourism and Culture on Friday 10th June 10, 2022 launched the Miss Gambia Pageant at the Ministry’s conference room in Banjul.
The launch of the beauty pageant also witnessed the signing of a tripartite agreement between the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Biddy’s Promotion and The Gambia Fashion Designers.
Speaking at the event, Minister Bah said that the Miss Gambia Beauty Pageant that they are here to launch today with the formal signing ceremony of a tripartite Agreement between Biddy’s promotion, The Gambia Fashion Designers and NCAC has a rich history and tradition dating to 1964 when Elizabeth Renner was judge of first Miss Gambia to coincide with the Independence celebrations of The Gambia.
From 1964 to 2001, he revealed that the pageant was held regularly by various entities such as the Meta Youth Club, Banzig Club and also sometimes, it was organized by individual investors. “In this regard, I wish to remember hardworking people in the like of George Gomez, Mr. Sering Secka, of blessed memory, who for many years had the singular courage and determination to keep the Miss Gambia pageant alive,” he urged the organizers.
Minister Bah expressed believe that the Miss Gambia Pageant has a lot of potential as a Tourism Product, as a cultural event and also as a mirror for Gambian womanhood and beauty. “This is why we need to ensure that only bona fide organizers like you can be given the franchise to organize it,” he affirmed.
The Tourism and Culture Minister commended the NCAC for the tremendous work done to see the realization of this great partnership, while commending the organizers Biddy’s Promotion and Gambia Fashion Association for believing in the Miss Gambia project.
The Director General of the NCAC, Mr. Hassoum Ceesay stated that the signing of the tripartite agreement between the NCAC, Biddy’s Promotion and The Gambia Fashion Designers is to facilitate the holding of the Miss Gambia Beauty Pageant. According to him, they have been working on the Miss Gambia for long now and the idea was; how do we bring it back? Luckily, he said, they found willing and dependable partners through The Gambia Fashion Designers Association, and Biddy’s Promotion which is highly recognized in The Gambia as a promotion, media and showbiz company.
“We believe that this will be a very powerful and useful agreement. The idea is the NCAC will give the franchise to them and they will do the ground work leading to the successful holding of Miss Gambia Beauty Pageant for the first time in 21 years,” he noted.
For his part, Ida Bidwel, the chief executive office of Biddy’s Promotion, stated that this is a great day for her and her team as they have been in existence since 2007 and they have been known for the best beauty pageant organization in The Gambia. According to her, they tried to motivate and empower young people, giving them valuable prices like plots of land, cars and among others and they make sure that they take them on international platforms like the Miss Tourism World.
According to her, bringing back the Miss Gambia in partnership with her mothers and sisters who are in the fashion designers of The Gambia is a very great partnership for Biddy’s Promotion.
The President of the Fashion Designers Association of The Gambia, Mrs. Ida Saine-Conteh expressed delight to be part of this initiative and to be partnering with Biddy’s Promotion because they have the idea and they have been organizing beauty pageants. She further assured that this upcoming Miss Gambia Beauty Pageant will be one of the best The Gambia has ever achieved when it comes to Miss Gambia.
