Liberia’s President George Weah is to attend this year’s world tourism day slated for the 27th of September 2018.
The event which is taking place at Providence Island formerly known as Dozoa, is expected to have a lot of attractions like cultural performances, fashion, entertainment, food, arts and culture, and canoe racing.
Visitors to the event are expected to pay $5 as entering fee.
Providence Island is a former trade post and the first arrival point of freed American Slaves. The site is characterized by a cement pillar and concrete floor believed to be the `first Concrete work in the history of the country, an ancient water well and an old landing docking platform for incoming canoes and ships.
The rusted heavy steel bar of the dock are partly buried into the Mesurado river today. In addition to these elements, is the oldest cotton tree, (250) years according to history of the State.
According to whc.unesco.org, in the context of contemporary history, a metal tree exists at the site symbolizing the need for peace after many years of internal strife in Liberia. At the south –south direction of the Island lies what was once used as a he Island is also over flung by the Gabriel Tucker Bridge which serves as an easy access to the site as well as few newly built brick huts and a palaver hut in replication of the structures built during the settlers’ period.
The site is of historical and cultural significance in the history of West Africa as the Island was one of the first places freed slaves landed on January 1, 1822. They were the second batch of African slaves who returned to their father’s land from America in 1820 and subsequently created the nation known today as Liberia. As an island it bears testimony to the reversal of the “no point of return” when slaves were forcible taken to the Americas with no prospect of coming back.
Providence Island, originally known as Dozoa meaning ‘’ Land in the center of water (Gola`Vernacular) defines Liberia’s origin as a nation, including the cultural diversity that is visible in the country. Before the arrival of first batch of freed slaves from America, Providence Island was a major trade post for both Portuguese and ethnics of the land.
