Ghana is set to host the maiden African Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTACC) from December 9 to 12, following the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, announced this during the Government Accountability Series in Accra.
She said the festival would be organised under the Africa Creatives, Sports and Recreation (ACSAR) Programme of AUDA-NEPAD.
Madam Gomashie said AFESTACC was designed to become Africa’s premier platform for culture and creativity, celebrating African excellence and showcasing the continent’s rich and diverse artistic expressions.
She said the festival would feature music, dance, theatre, film, literature, fashion, gastronomy, beauty, heritage, sports and contemporary creative expressions.
The Minister said another key objective was to establish a continental platform that would bring together African Union Member States, creatives, policymakers, investors, development partners, academia, the private sector, communities and the African diaspora for collaboration and cultural diplomacy.
She said the festival would also position Africa’s cultural and creative economy as a driver of development by promoting investment, tourism, entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development, industrialisation and employment, particularly for the youth and women.
“Strengthening Pan-African identity, creating a lasting legacy, establish AFESTACC as a recurring AU platform that celebrates Africa’s cultural wealth while advancing Agenda 2063 through culture-led development,” she said.
Madam Gomashie said the festival was expected to create opportunities for more than 20,000 Ghanaians, particularly those operating within the tourism, culture and creative arts ecosystem.
She said hosting AFESTACC aligned with the Government’s agenda to harness culture and the creative arts as tools for job creation, foreign exchange generation and enhanced international visibility for Ghana.
The Ministry said detailed programming, host venues and participation modalities for Member States would be announced in the coming months.
