The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) is intensifying efforts to reconnect the African Diaspora with their ancestral roots, partnering with the African American Association of Ghana (AAAG) to deliver immersive cultural experiences grounded in history, identity, and pride.
Speaking at this year’s Juneteenth celebration in Accra, Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs at the GTA, Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi, emphasized the growing synergy between the two organizations, noting that the collaboration forms a critical part of Ghana’s broader Pan-African agenda.
The celebration, marked by a colourful parade and cultural festival, was held as a precursor to the upcoming Panafest Emancipation Festival. Mr. Kusi highlighted the AAAG’s central role in curating the Black Star Experience—one of this year’s key Panafest attractions—anchored on seven pillars: cinema, audio, cuisine, aesthetics, style, literature, and heritage.
“We’ve involved AAAG in our events before, and there are numerous activities lined up throughout the year,” Mr. Kusi noted, stressing that long-term partnerships are essential to advancing the Black Agenda.
The Juneteenth event, which commemorates the 1865 emancipation of enslaved African Americans, was supported by the GTA and drew participants from across the African Diaspora. Mr. Kusi described the celebration as a powerful affirmation of identity and cultural reconnection.
“It gives them their right, their strength, their support to believe in themselves as Africans,” he said.
Beyond symbolic engagement, the GTA’s sponsorship and staff participation underscored its commitment to using cultural tourism as a tool to grow Ghana’s economy and deepen ties with the Diaspora.
Tying the occasion to the larger reparations discourse at the heart of this year’s Panafest, Mr. Kusi declared, “We cannot exclude Diaspora Africans when speaking about reparations. It’s time to ask for what belongs to us as Africans, who were enslaved.”