Signing ceremony for the Grant Contract of the Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects of Japan, entitled “Project for the Improvement of Sports Facilities for Youth Development in Banjul

On March 18th 2014, the Gambia Olympic House in Banjul hosted the signing ceremony of the Grant Contract of the Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects of Japan, entitled “Project for the Improvement of Sports Facilities for Youth Development in Banjul”.

Mr. Shigeru KONDO, Counsellor of the Embassy of Japan in the Gambia and Mr. Momodou DIBBA, President of the Gambia National Olympic Committee, signed a Grant Contract which allocates about 90,000 euros to the GNOC, with the attendance of approximately 20 persons including the GNOC executive body, heads of beneficiary sports associations and the press members.

The Grant is dedicated to the purchase of 115 equipment designed for different sport activities including Track and field, Handball, Volleyball and Basketball along with 18 sports mats for three main facilities in Banjul namely the Stadium, schools and a sport center.

The project is expected to improve both mental and physical well-being of children and young people living in poverty in The Gambia through sport.

The given support to the GNOC is part of Japan’s new initiative “Sport for Tomorrow” which aims at encouraging and strengthening its international cooperation in the field of sport towards the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020.

Mr. DIBBA expressed his sincere appreciation to the Embassy of Japan and the Japanese Olympic Committee and noted that Japan is a friend of Africa particularly The Gambia in assisting the Olympic Committee and the National Sports Associations. The ceremony was largely covered by newspaper and Television, confirming the significant relationship between The Gambia and Japan.