The Steering Committee for the ‘Year of Return’ is urging Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of the boost in tourism to showcase the country’s arts and culture.
The ‘Year of Return’ is meant to commemorate 400 years since some Black Africans, including indigenes from present-day Ghana were shipped off as slaves to foreign lands.
The committee has thus outlined a series of events throughout the year to observe the celebration.
After his outfit called on the management of Citi FM and Citi TV, the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, who doubles as the Coordinator for the committee, Akwasi Agyeman, said he is hopeful the year-long event will greatly benefit indigenous businesses.
“We want to drum home the message that the Year of Return is not just a year in passing but a year in opportunity to take advantage of the numbers that are coming to visit the country. Some are keen establishing partnerships and the business network that will yield results into the future.”
About the ‘Year of Return’
This festival was created by Dr. SharitaYazid, Naturopath, New Body Products Ghana Chief Operating Officer and a repatriate to Africa.
A group of natural healers, master African dance/drum instructors and fitness experts were consulted to help create this festival to deliver a sound platform for years to come.
The festival was launched on February 7, 2019, at Jam Rock Jamaican Restaurant in Accra, East Legon.
There are other activities spread out throughout the year. Some include the Black History Month with the African American Association of Ghana, Back2Africa Festival, Ghana Independence Day Celebration, The Pan African Student Summit, JaGha Reggae Festival and Heritage Paragliding Festival in Kwahu.
Others are Waxprint Film Documentary Festival, Black Prophet Homecoming Celebration, PANAFEST, GOD BOX Spiritual Pilgrimage, Chale Wote, Afrochella, among others.
The Ghana Tourism Authority, and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, are coordinating the year-long calendar of activities in “celebration of the resilience of the African spirit”.
This is being done in partnership with the Office of Diaspora Affairs in the Office of the President, the Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (Panafest) Foundation and The Adinkra Group.