Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has launched the 17th edition of PANAFEST and Emancipation day celebration with the call on Ghanaians to recommit to unity, cultural pride, and collective healing.
She said, “As resident Ghanaians and those in the diaspora we all need healing, and until we recognize that something deep has happened to us, that healing will not occur.”
“Lack of that healing, or the process, is the reason we choose to appreciate and invest in other people’s cultures and not ours, and that has taken away that pride that we should have.”
She said PANAFEST was far more than a festival. It is a spiritual, cultural, and intellectual movement, a platform that repositions Ghana as a homeland for people of African descent seeking reconnection, healing, and a shared sense of purpose and dignity.
This year’s celebration carries even deeper significance, against the backdrop of global racial tensions, renewed calls for reparative justice, and the growing reclamation of African identity.
She said since its inception in 1992, PANAFEST has created a unique space for artistic expression, historical reflection, and diaspora connection.
The two programmes bring to the fore, Ghana’s bold celebration of the abolition of slavery and the triumph of black resilience, and serves an engine for national development that drives socioeconomic growth.
“PANAFEST and emancipation enhance Ghana’s international reputation as a stable, culturally rich, and welcoming destination, and positions it as a leader in the global African renaissance and the soft power advantage that attracts partnerships, funding, and influence.”
Together, they serve as an emotional entry point for diasporas seeking to reconnect with the land of their ancestors, provides platforms for cultural diplomacy, enabling collaborations among global artists, thinkers, creatives, and artists.
“It creates spaces for healing and dialogue, confronting historical injustices while envisioning a redefined African identity, and ultimately provides the gateways to economic transformation.”
She urged the media not to only amplify the visibility of the commemoration, but help tell the world that Ghana was not just a destination, it is a recall of all African children.
Prof. Esi sutherland Addy, Chairperson PANAFEST Foundation, said the theme for this years commemoration, “Let us speak of reparative justice: Pan-African artistic activism, revolves around the rising campaign for reparations and compensation for the transgenerational harm done to peoples of Africa and African descent.
She said, “We must recognize the worth of our talents and reclaim it. So apart from building and farming, the culture of the world, is dependent on Africans and people of African descent and it is important at this point to stand up and reclaim it now.
She said the commemoration celebrates the strength and resilience of African culture and the achievements of Africans in spite of the transatlantic slave trade and its aftermath.
She said the festival is a community event, that involves all Africans and people of African descent living outside, adding that it was also an inspiration for contemporary Africans to take the next steps in the journey towards emancipation.
Maame Afua Houadjeto, Chief Executive Officer, GTA said reparative justice was no longer a matter for debate but a matter of necessity, dignity, and history demanding redress.
“In a world still grappling with the scars of slavery, colonialism, and systemic inequality, PANAFEST 2025 becomes a sacred ground upon which our collective trauma finds healing through the power of the arts.”
She noted that the theme, highlighted artistic activism as both a form of protest and a path to healing. “From spoken word to theatre, from dance to visual arts, from drums to digital storytelling our creativity has always been the heartbeat of our survival and our resistance.”
She assured that the GTA was committed to working in collaboration with the PANAFEST Foundation, the Ministry and various international partners, to creating spaces where these voices would be amplified and celebrated.
Activities will span across key historical sites in Tamale, Salaga, Cape Coast, Bono Manso and Assin Manso.
The events will include commemorative ceremonies, heritage site visits, diaspora dialogues, youth and academic discussions, cultural showcases, a Mini-PANAFEST African Market, and a Creative Explosion Concert wreath laying, exhibition and expo, referential night, courtesy calls, among others.
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