 This year’s Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST) and the Emancipation Day celebrations have been jointly launched at the WEB Dubois Centre in Accra.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, who launched the events, called on Africans around the world to use PANAFEST as a platform to “Reconnect their strengths and rededicate themselves to fully assume their own destiny in recognition of the lessons of history”.
PANAFEST is an African festival that addresses the traumatic interruption that ever occurred in the natural evolution of African societies.
This year’s celebrations will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now called the African Union (AU).
EMANCIPATION Day Celebration is an annual event to commemorate the resistance and liberation of African people in the Diaspora against enslavement and violation of their human rights. It is held on August 1, which marks the abolition of slavery in the British colonies in 1834.
“On this basis, the AU has given Ghana the honour of organizing a high level dialogue on Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance, which has been planned to dovetail into the special 10 edition of PANAFEST, which will also factor in the 50th anniversary of the demise of Dr WEB Dubois, the towering leader of Pan African thought,” she said.
The Minister appealed to all Ghanaians, especially the media and corporate organisations to support the ministry “to make the entire programme eventful”.
A member of the PANAFEST Foundation, Madam Esi Sutherland Addy gave a historical overview of the event and called on young people to, “Take prominence in PANAFEST,” saying a youth day will be organised to set the agenda for African youth in the next 50 years.
The celebrations started on Thursday, May 23, 2013 with the opening of the National Arts Gallery and Bazaar at WEB Dubois Centre. On July 22, there will be wreath laying ceremonies at the George Padmore Library and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra, ending at the Du Bois Centre.
Between July 23 and 25 there will be a pilgrimage to the Brong Ahafo and Northern regions along the designated slave routes.
The main events will commence on July 26 with a symbolic return journey and Akwaaba ceremonies at the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, followed in the evening with the opening of a trade fair and bazaar at the PANAFEST Village in Cape Coast which will be marked by several performances.
On Saturday, July 27, there will be the grand durbar of chiefs and queens and visiting delegates to celebrate OAU/AU at 50 and PANAFEST at 21. In the evening, there will be live performances by national and international artistes at the PANAFEST Village.
Women will have their day on July 30. The Women’s Day will be held on the theme, “The Role of Women in African Renaissance”.
Other events lined up include visits to historical sites in cape Coast and Elmina, the symbolic crossing of River Pra, a redemption march and reverential night, which include a candle light procession through the Cape Coast Castle.
The 150th anniversary of EMANCIPATION will be held at Assin Manso on August 1 and the climax of the celebrations will be the AU at 50/PANAFEST high level dialogue on Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance, which comes off at the Accra International Conference Centre on August 3. |
