From 21-27 September, Accra will host a new edition of Festac Africa, a gathering that seeks to heal the continent's internal divisions.
The festival returns with more ambition after its visits to Zanzibar, Arusha and Kisumu. This time, Ghana is the setting for a programme combining culture, debate and cooperation.
Yinka Abioye, chair of the event, stresses that disunity persists between countries, communities and ethnicities. For her, the lack of communication fuels prejudices and limits common progress.
The calendar of events includes parades, forums on trade and tourism, conferences on climate, peace and youth, as well as concerts and an extensive gastronomic programme.
One of the most unique initiatives will be the inter-country float, which will travel through several ECOWAS territories to Accra, symbolising the connection between borders.
The organisers chose Ghana not only because of its historical weight in African independence, but also because it coincides with World Tourism Day and Kwame Nkrumah's birthday.
The event brings together thousands of participants from different backgrounds to share experiences and visions for the future of Africa in a space open to dialogue.
Festac, created in the 1970s as a festival of arts and culture, was reborn in 2022 after four decades of inactivity. Since then, it has established itself as a continental platform.
Its goal now is to project itself beyond the festive scenes, generating collaborative networks that strengthen African pride and reinforce integration among its peoples.
Caption: Mr Yinka Abioye, Chairman, FESTAC Africa Renaissance Festival
Source: festacafrica.org