An African Diaspora Homecoming: Roots Festival in The = Gambia

African=20 Diaspora Tourism Press=20 = Release

2011=20 International Roots Festival in The=20 Gambia
Noted=20 US African Commentator Ogo Sow appointed as=20 Official Promoter in=20 America

    =20 The country known as the Smiling Coast of Africa = will=20 definitely be smiling during the International = Roots=20 Festival set to take = place from=20 February 4^th -8^th 2011.=20 The = Ministry of=20 Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Gambia = has=20 appointed noted African broadcast commentator = Ogo Sow as=20 the Official Promoter in the United States and = North=20 America for The Gambia's 10^th edition = of the=20 festival. All=20 people with roots in Africa and also those = interested in=20 learning about Africa and its Diaspora are = invited to=20 attend and take part in the=20 festivities.
  =20    = Known=20 affectionately in the United States as 'Mr.=20 Africa', Sow is an accomplished = African=20 television and radio pioneer, producer and=20 publisher.=20 He also=20 a = special advisor=20 and consultant to the Africa Travel Association = (ATA),=20 where he has reported extensively = on major=20 stories about Africa. In 2001 he launched=20 Ogo Sow = Communication Network, a series of African radio = programs where he interviews individuals and = reports on=20 information about the Diaspora worldwide. = One of the finest = commentators=20 on Africa, Sow has received many awards from the = media=20 and community organizations in recognition of = his work=20 on African politics, culture, music, events and=20 tourism.
  =20    A native of Senegal, Sow is proud = to be an=20 official promoter of the West African festival, = but says=20 that he is not in it alone. "Networking is the = key to=20 making this a successful 2011 Roots Festival," = says Sow,=20 who has solicited help from several leaders of = different=20 organizations. "The African Diaspora = helping each=20 other and Africa in=20 terms of tourism, invesment, culture and = Green-energy is=20 very important," he explains. Sow believes that = events=20 like the Roots Festival are just one part of = countries=20 and organizations of the Diaspora becoming = involved with=20 Africa.

About=20 the 2011 International Roots=20 Festival
=20
During the festival, = participants will get to visit Juffureh, the = ancestral=20 home of Alex Haley, author of Roots, = the=20 classic book where Haley traced his = origins back=20 to Gambia that was later turned into a very = popular=20 television mini-series. There will also be tours = to=20 other places = of=20 historical and cultural significance including=20 Fort James Island, an Island in the = River=20 Gambia which bears the last remains of a slave = fort=20 where Africans were held captive before they = were=20 forcibly put into slave ships to embark on a = journey to=20 the western hemisphere.

=20 The = Gambia's=20 International Roots Festival will include music=20 concerts, cultural Jamborees, carnival fun, = parades,=20 craft markets and authentic African cuisine. = There will=20 even be an opportunity to witness traditional = events=20 such as the 'Fatampaf' (rites of passage) = ceremony in=20 the home village of The Gambia's President Alh. = Dr.=20 Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh.=20 "The International Roots Festival affords = us the=20 golden opportunity, to share with our brothers = and=20 sisters from the Diaspora, the richness and the = unity in=20 diversity of The Gambia's cultural heritage," = says = President=20 Jammeh.

=20 The Roots Festival provides an excellent=20 opportunity to facilitate the healing of the = wounds of=20 slavery to further promote peace and a better=20 understanding of diversity throughout the world. =

This=20 is the time to experience the continent of = Africa to=20 confront the physical past and glimpse the = horizon of a=20 brighter future. It is a time for people of the = Diaspora=20 to come home to rediscover and reaffirm their = African=20 heritage and unite with their ancestral family. = For more=20 information on the 2011 International Roots = Festival,=20 visit www.RootsGambia.gm.

For=20 information about attending the Roots Festival, = contact=20 sowafrica@yahoo.com=20 or admin@blacktravelwriters.org.

About=20 African Diaspora Tourism
AfricanDiasporaTourism.com= =20 is an on line publication dedicated to exploring = the=20 culture and heritage influences of the people of = African=20 descent in the places of the African Diaspora = around the=20 world. Please visit our site for the latest = news,=20 information, events, updates and travel stories = related=20 to tourism in the global African Diaspora. For = more=20 information, visit www.AfricanDiasporaTourism.com.=

About Ogo = Sow=20 Communications
Ogo Sow=20 Communications is home to the 1st African = =E9migr=E9 and=20 expatriate radio program in North=20 America. The=20 show is among the world's leaders in on line = media and=20 entertainment delivery with an unparalleled = connection=20 in the places of the African Diaspora around the = world.=20 Tune in to hear interviews, news and African = music. For=20 more information, visit www.OgoSow.com.=20 =20 =

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