Written by: Campeh Bi
The Birmingham Cultural Weekend, organised by the Campeh Bi group in collaboration with Manding Entertainment Ltd to promote Gambian culture and foster community cohesion, is set to take place on 19 and 20 July 2025 at the Holford Drive Community Sports Hub.
Now in its fifth year, the annual event is driven entirely by Birmingham-based Gambian volunteers who contribute their own time, money, and resources. It has grown into a vibrant celebration that brings together diverse communities, businesses, and cultural groups, offering a platform to showcase Gambian traditions and products.
This year, however, tensions have emerged following the announcement that SM Globally Sorted Ltd, a Scotland-based event company, plans to host a concert and after-party featuring Senegalese artist Wally Seck on the same weekend. Campeh Bi organisers allege that the timing of the Wally Seck event is an attempt to capitalise on the influx of attendees drawn to the city by the football tournament and cultural celebrations.
“We reached out to the SM Globally Sorted team, but our attempts to negotiate an agreement to prevent community division were unsuccessful due to their unreasonable terms,” said a member of the Campeh Bi team. “Our event flyers were released in October 2024 to confirm our dates, but SM Globally Sorted claimed ignorance of our cultural weekend. We find this misleading, especially since they are collaborating with local DJs who are aware of our schedule. It appears to be a deliberate attempt to undermine our efforts to unite the community.”
In response to rumours suggesting Campeh Bi’s involvement in the Wally Seck event, organisers have issued a statement disassociating themselves from the concert.
Asked to comment further, the Campeh Bi member declined to speculate on SM Globally Sorted’s intentions but wished them success with their event, reaffirming that their focus remains on serving the Midlands Gambian community.
