The festival of Queen Amang Étame, which marks the anniversary of the enthronement at the court of the Queen of Bignona, opened on December 26, lives to the rhythm of unity between the Diola and the Serer through the kinship between Aguène and Diambone, a symbol of peace.

Several authorities, including the Secretary of State for Culture Bacary Thior, the Prefect of Bignona, mayors from the department of Bignona, the Queen Mother of Oussouye, and Rose Wardini, a special guest of the Queen, were present to celebrate the cultural exchange.

For Bakary Diatta, mayor of Bignona, "this moment represents more than just a royal court celebration. It also includes a spiritual phase that refers to a divine belief protecting traditional African society. It allows us to celebrate our culture, to boldly demonstrate our attachment to our ancestral values. Through this celebration, we reaffirm our identity. We demonstrate our resilience in the face of a constantly changing world, with a Western influence that imposes itself through cultural imperialism based on the massive distribution of foreign films and consumption patterns that attempt to marginalize local cultures and establish a so-called civilization."

Drawing inspiration from Léopold Sédar Senghor, Bakary Diatta asserts that culture is not simply an addition to development, but its very foundation. He then advocates for the promotion of the country's cultural facets through cinema, festivals, and media coverage of its various aspects.

Rose Wardini expressed her delight at the richness of Casamance's culture and the undeniable cultural exchange between the Diola and Serer peoples. Alongside the Queen of Bignona and the Queen Mother of Oussouye, Rose Wardini pledged her support for any development initiative benefiting women.

"I have seen a rich culture. And I promise to continue the actions I have begun here in recent months. I will support and accompany them in all areas - education, health - because I carry Casamance in my heart," said the president of the New Senegal movement.

The Secretary of State for Culture believes this is an event that transcends Bignona and Casamance, now resonating with Senegal and the entire world. "Your gesture is powerful. It is symbolic, it is profoundly African. I am here on behalf of the President of the Republic to commend your gesture and recognize its true value. Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko are like brothers, two men who, through their vision, are reconciling the memories reawakened in Aguène and Diambone. And they remind us that the Serer and Diola peoples share the same canoe in the history of Senegal," Bacary Thior stated.

"The Senegal we love is a Senegal where cultures speak to each other, a Senegal where traditions are recognized, a Senegal where kinship exists. And this is not a slogan, but a living practice," he continued.

The Secretary of State for Culture described the festival as a school imbued with a soul, linking culture to mysticism. "These cultural days in Bignona are not simply a festive event. They have a soul. They connect culture to mysticism. They create a dialogue between the sacred and the everyday. They reconcile the traditional and the modern. They bring people together and embody peace. Here in Bignona, peace is not decreed. It is lived, it is passed on, it is danced, it is sung, it is celebrated. As Léopold Sédar Senghor so aptly put it, culture is what remains when everything else is lost. This means one simple thing: culture is eternity."

"Through these days, Bignona reminds us of an essential truth: without culture, there is no sustainable development. There is no lasting peace, there is no strong nation," Bacary Thior emphasized.

Several delegations from Sine and Saloum took part in the festivities, the most remarkable of which was that of Sathior from Fatick.