GTA Launches Panafest and Emancipation 2025 Celebrations

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has launched the 2025 edition of Panafest and Emancipation Day celebrations, announcing a two-week-long cultural and historical journey slated for July 17 to August 2, 2025.

Speaking at the launch ceremony on Monday, June 23 at Accra Tourism Information Centre under the theme: Let us speak of reparative justice – Pan African Artistic Activism , the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie described the upcoming events as a “bold celebration of the abolition of slavery and the triumph of Black resilience,” and emphasized their central role in Ghana’s cultural identity and heritage tourism strategy.

The programme outline features a nationwide itinerary covering key heritage sites such as Cape Coast, Elmina, Assin Manso, Keta, Denu, Accra, and a special pilgrimage to the northern part of Ghana.

Activities will include commemorative events, cultural performances, academic symposia, and healing rituals. Among the major highlights are the Wreath-Laying Ceremony in Accra, the Reverential Night at Cape Coast Castle, the Emancipation Durbar in Assin Manso, and several community-based experiences that showcase the rich cultural tapestry of Ghana.

Abla Dzifa Gomashie cited that this year’s celebration is being held under the flagship programme known as “The Black Star Experience,” an initiative introduced by the government of President John Dramani Mahama.

According to the Minister, the Black Star Experience is a year-round, immersive framework aimed at positioning Ghana as the ultimate destination for heritage tourism, cultural pilgrimage, and diaspora investment.

“It is an immersive journey that binds Ghana’s rich past to a bold and prosperous future where the echoes of the slave dungeons meet the drumbeats of freedom, where the artistry of kente weaving is elevated by digital innovation, and where ancestral memory becomes the cornerstone of generational wealth and cultural pride,” she said.

The Minister further noted that the combined celebrations have evolved beyond symbolic commemoration and now serve as a powerful engine for national development, driving socio-economic growth and strengthening the link between Ghana and the global African diaspora.

Story By: Nana Antwi Boasiako