Ghana has officially launched PANAFEST and Emancipation Day 2025 at the Accra Tourist Information Centre. This event highlights Ghana’s deep commitment to celebrating African heritage and fostering unity among people of African descent worldwide. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Let Us Speak of Reparative Justice-Pan-African Artistic Activism.”
Maame Efua Houadjeto, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, opened the launch with powerful remarks on Ghana’s role in strengthening connections between Africans on the continent and those in the diaspora. She said, “This launch is not just a ceremony. It is a statement. Ghana, as the Gateway to Africa, continues to open its arms to the African family at home and abroad. PANAFEST 2025 becomes a sacred ground upon which our collective trauma finds healing through the power of the arts.”
PANAFEST and Emancipation Day are events rooted in remembrance, healing, and reconnection. Since its inception in 1992, PANAFEST has brought together people of African descent worldwide for cultural expression, historical reflection, and open dialogue. It confronts the difficult legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade while celebrating African resilience and creativity. Emancipation Day is observed alongside PANAFEST to honor the abolition of slavery and pay tribute to those who endured its harsh realities. Together, these events create a space where history is recognized not only with sorrow but with solidarity and a vision for a more united future.
The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Honorable Abla Dzifa Gomashie, officially launched the event and spoke about concerns over fading historical awareness among younger generations. She emphasized the need to reintroduce heritage conversations in ways that feel relevant and accessible. “If our children do not understand why we are doing this, then nobody will be doing it,” she said. Reflecting on her experience at Emancipation Day celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago, she encouraged a deeper connection with heritage in Ghana. “Some of what we do is spiritual. Some of it is because we must honor the forebears, those on whose shoulders we stand,” she added.
The launch attracted cultural leaders, tourism officials, diplomats, and heritage advocates. They discussed the 2025 program, which will run over two weeks. Events will take place in significant historical locations including Tamale, Salaga, Cape Coast, Bono Manso, and Assin Manso. The program will feature commemorative ceremonies, heritage site visits, diaspora dialogues, youth and academic discussions, cultural showcases, a Mini-PANAFEST African Market, and a Creative Explosion Concert. A key focus will be on public education, reparative dialogue, and encouraging community participation.
Ghana remains committed to heritage-led development and inclusive conversations as part of a broader pledge to justice, cultural preservation, and sustained partnerships with the African diaspora.
PANAFEST 2025 invites everyone to engage, contribute, and support a shared journey toward remembering the past and taking meaningful action together.
