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2019 Ghana World Music Festival with Deborah Cox slated for August 2-4 at Fantasy Dome
The year 2019 marks 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown Virginia. Taking this as a milestone to celebrate African resilience and also call African in the diaspora home, the Year of Return Steering committee supported by Joy Prime and Hitz 103.9 FM, brings to you the Ghana World Music Festival.
This event, expected to take place on August 3rd and 4th at the Fantasy Dome in La, Accra will treat patrons to a weekend of incredible global music from 7pm each day.
The first annual Ghana World Music Festival is a celebration of the power of the Ghanaian music and the sounds of the diaspora. Music is more than entertainment, its empowerment and unifier of people, helped birth Ghana World Music Festival.
The festival will feature music and artistes from Ghana, across the African Continent, the Caribbean and the US.
A rich myriad of genres will be on display from Jazz, R&B, Reggae, Highlife and Afrobeat. The festival will serve as an anchor event to Panafest 2019 while continuing to support the mission of the Year of Return Initiative.
On the bill to perform is Ghanaian reggae and dancehall artiste, Samini; Jamaican reggae band, Third World; Canadian Grammy award-winning RnB songstress, Deborah Cox; Jamaican Jazz and reggae artiste, Ernie Smith; Jazz artiste, Irvin Mayfield and many more.
Grab your early bird ticket for GH₵ 50 now till Thursday, August 1.
Regular GH₵ 80, VIP GH₵ 150 and VVIP GH₵ 450.
Ticket outlets:
PINKBURRY ……….Labone, Spintex, East Legon
NYONYO ESSENTIALS…..American house, East Legon
MY CELLPHONE REPAIRS…..A&C Mall, East Legon
NALLEM CLOTHING……Accra Mall, West Hills Mall, Osu Mall, Junction Mall, Achimota Retail Centre.
Log onto http://ghanawmf.com/ for more details.
2019 Ghana World Music Festival Is A Celebration Of The Music Of Our Diaspora
The first annual Ghana World Music Festival 2019 is a celebration of the power of the Ghanaian music and the sounds of the diaspora. Music is more than entertainment, its empowerment and unifier of people and with this spirit, the Ghana World Music Festival was conceived.
The festival will feature music and artists from Ghana, across the African Continent, the Caribbean and the US. A rich myriad of genres will be on display from Jazz, R&B, Reggae, Highlife and Afrobeat. The festival will serve as an anchor event to Panafest 2019 while continuing to support the mission of the Year of Return Initiative.
New York attorneys add colour to ‘Year of Return’
The Year of Return agenda, instituted to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, is swiftly gaining traction in the diaspora as intended.
Visiting Ghana to know more about their roots, was Boris Kodjo, Michael Jai White, Anthony Anderson, Diggy Simmons and many others.
Recently, joining the group of diasporans to learn about their roots, is the Association of Black Woman Attorneys (ABWA), New York.
A large delegation of ABWA was on a week-long retreat themed “Reinforcing Bonds and Connecting with the Diaspora.” But the visit was rendered more significant as it coincided with the ‘Year of Return’ celebrations.
The African-American lawyers, hosted by the Institute of International Affairs, spent their week in Ghana celebrating African Heritage.
The team visited the two historical slave castles in Cape Coast and Elmina and also paid a courtesy call on Ghana’s Attorney-General, Gloria Akuffo.
“It is an honour to be able to have undertaken this trip. For many members of ABWA, this is a pilgrimage to connect with our heritage,’ president of ABWA, Tanya Blocker, had said.
She noted Ghana has a deep heritage of lawyers rising far in the legal profession, with many ladies ascending to the high offices of Attorney-General and Chief Justice and her team was excited to bond and build connections with these attorneys.
Ghana’s Attorney-General, Gloria Akuffo, admitted though Ghana had made strides with the female attorneys there is much more that needs to be done.
“I applaud the initiative of ABWA, sisterhood in hopes of advancement is the way to go. I can proudly say that my office is now a nest for women attorneys in Ghana and as such my office and I are ready to collaborate with ABWA in pursuing their goals,” she added.
The tour ended with notes of appreciation from ABWA to GhIIA.org for their support.
Mr Cherk Klutse, of the institute, reiterated the institute’s pride that ABWA chose Ghana and expressed hope for further collaboration with ABWA for the institutes Diaspora and Internal Law programs.
Source: Myjoyonline
Pelosi, delegation pay homage at Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
The Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States, Ms Nancy Pelosi, on Monday afternoon laid a wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra on behalf of the government and people of US and signed the book of condolence.
She arrived at the museum with a Congressional delegation and was welcomed by the Director of the Memorial Park, Alhaji Abubakari Issah Osman.
She walked towards the statue of Dr Nkrumah and together with the delegation laid a wreath.
After a brief interaction and photo-taking, she walked into the mausoleum which is housing the remains of Dr Nkrumah and his wife Fathia and signed the book of condolence.
After that, she visited the museum which also houses the personal effects and publications of Dr Nkrumah.
more to follow…
Pelosi and Congressional Black Caucus Delegation to visit historic sites in Ghana
Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading a Congressional Black Caucus delegation visiting Ghana to hold high-level discussions with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, Speaker Mike Oquaye and other senior government officials. Speaker Pelosi will deliver an address to the Ghanaian Parliament.
Solemnly, the delegation will pay respects at Cape Coast and Elmina Castles and the “Door of No Return,” to observe the 400th Anniversary of the First Enslaved Africans Landing in America.
Ahead of the visit, officials from the US Embassy, security officials and a delegation from Ghana Tourism Authority met with Chiefs in as well as visited some of the attractions they would visit last two weeks.
The delegation includes the distinguished Majority Whip James Clyburn, Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus Karen Bass, Co-Chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Congresswoman Barbara Lee and icon of the Congress, John Lewis.
“As the founding chair of the International African American Museum, which is being built on Gadsden Wharf in Charleston, South Carolina where approximately 50 percent of enslaved Africans arrived in this country, it is particularly meaningful to me to join the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and many of my African American colleagues in visiting Ghana’s Door of No Return,” said Whip Clyburn. “I consider this to be a fitting and proper way to commemorate the 400th year since the enslaved people were forced to leave their homeland and sent in bondage to the New World. I seek to pay homage to the sacrifices of our African ancestors and honour the contributions they made to building the United States of America.”
“400 years ago this year, our ancestors were first brought to this continent in chains. On this delegation, 12 Members of the Congressional Black Caucus will return to the African continent as Members of the United States Congress,” said Congresswoman Bass. “We have come so far but we still have so far to go. Among the history being made this trip, I am very much also looking forward to witnessing the first woman Speaker of the United States House of Representatives address the Ghanaian parliament. I thank Speaker Pelosi for leading this important trip and for joining us in sending a signal of mutual respect and partnership to Ghana and the continent of Africa as a whole.”
The Members of the Congressional delegation are:
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi
- House Majority Whip James Clyburn
- Congressman John Lewis, Ways & Means Committee
- Congressman Bobby Rush, Energy & Commerce Committee
- Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Budget Committee, Homeland Security Committee and Judiciary Committee
- Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Appropriations Committee and Budget Committee
- Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Energy & Commerce Committee and Homeland Security Committee
- Congressman Hank Johnson, Judiciary Committee and Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
- Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Agriculture Committee, Education & Labor Committee and House Administration Committee
- Congresswoman Karen Bass, Foreign Affairs Committee and Judiciary Committee
- Congresswoman Terri Sewell, Intelligence Committee and Ways & Means Committee
- Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Education & Labor Committee and Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
- Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Financial Services Committee and Joint Economic Committee
- Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Budget Committee, Education & Labor Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee
Source: speaker.gov
James City County honors connection between Jamestown and Ghana
By Alexa Doiron
Jamestown is recognizing its connections to African history with a visitor from across the Atlantic Ocean.
On Tuesday, James Icenhour, chairman of the James City County Board of Supervisors, issued a proclamation to Kojo Yankah, the author of a new book, “From Jamestown to Jamestown: Letters to an African Child,” that honours the connection between Jamestown Island and the Jamestown District in Accra, Ghana.
The proclamation states that June 18 will now be known as From Jamestown to Jamestown Day to honour Yankah’s work as well as the 400-year connection between the two locations.
This year, Jamestown is commemorating the 400th anniversary of the first Africans to arrive at the colony and Ghana was one of the locations where the slave trade-oriented, according to a news release from the county.
“Both Jamestown sites have since recognized and learned from the atrocities of the past and…both Jamestown sites have now grown to become thriving, vibrant communities that rely heavily on the culture and connectivity grown from those histories,” Icenhour said.
Yankah, founder and former president of the African University College of Communications, was given a copy of the proclamation, a copy of the county’s logo and the county flag.
In a speech, Yankah said he originally visited Jamestown 25 years ago to celebrate the 375th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans. After returning home, he said he said he thought about how Jamestown in Virginia had a connection to the Jamestown District in Ghana.
“So when I went back [to Ghana], something struck me and this was the first time I realized that Jamestown itself had a fort which was also a slave-trading post,” he said.
For his research, Yankah said he used Jamestown to represent all of the coastal towns in the southwest region of Africa where slaves were primarily being captured.
Yankah said since 1994 he has been doing research in order to build a story in a readable fashion that would show the history of his people since the first Africans arrival.
“I must say that out here with all my travels in this part of the world, those who have African descent do not know where they come from,” he said. “Similarly, those on the continent [of Africa] have no idea what happened to those that went out as captives to the new world.”
In his book, Yankah said he tried to pull all of these pieces together to a simple way to tell the story of Ghana’s connection to Jamestown.
“It’s a painful story but it has to be told,” he said. “Our children will have to know that these things happened.”
Source: wydaily.com
Year of Return: Photos of Pelosi, Congressional delegation arrival in Ghana
The first woman Speaker of the United States House of Representatives who is leading a Congressional delegation to Ghana has arrived in Accra.
Nancy Pelosi and her delegation touched down at Terminal 3 of the Kotaka International Airport, Sunday afternoon.
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They were met by the Speaker of Parliament, Mike Aaron Oquaye and the US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie S. Sullivan.
Some members of Parliament, as well as other dignitaries, were also at the Airport to welcome them amid a rich cultural display.
Year Of Return: Ghana’s Ambassador To The US Visits Speaker Pelosi Ahead of Historical Trip
They will hold high-level discussions with President Akufo-Addo as well as speak with her Ghanaian counterpart, Mike Oquaye and other senior government officials.
There is a dinner held in Speaker Pelosi’s honour tonight at the Jubilee Lounge of Parliament, where she will respond to a toast.
She will also deliver an address to the Ghanaian Parliament on Wednesday.
“It is a special honour to be the first U.S. Speaker of the House to address the illustrious Parliament of Ghana, as we build on the partnership between our nations,” she said.
While in Ghana, Speaker Pelosi and her delegation will pay visits at Cape Coast and Elmina Castles as part of the ‘Year of Return‘ celebrations.
At the Cape Coast Castle, they will be at the ‘Door of No Return’ to observe the 400th Anniversary of the First Enslaved Africans landing in Jamestown Virginia, USA.
“As we face evolving global security challenges, our delegation will thank our men and women in uniform and receive briefings from U.S. military leaders at U.S. Army Africa headquarters,” Speaker Pelosi said ahead of her visit to Africa.
She added that once they arrive in Ghana, “our delegation looks forward to high-level discussions on key issues such as regional security, sustainable and inclusive development and the challenges of tomorrow including the climate crisis.”
The team will then visit the US Army Africa headquarters in Italy.
Below are pictures and videos of her arrival in Ghana.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Year Of Return: Ghana’s Ambassador To The US Visits Speaker Pelosi Ahead of Historical Trip
Ahead of the historic trip to Ghana, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, met with Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Dr. Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah, at her office in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 25, 2019.
The speaker extended an invitation to Ghana’s Ambassador to review key matters regarding the upcoming trip.
In his remarks, Ambassador Adjei-Barwuah touched on Ghana’s existing relationship with the United States, and the need to enhance the friendship between the two countries. “Ghana is very excited about this trip, and for us, it’s a call to open a new page to ensure a better relationship.”
On her part, Speaker Pelosi expressed her deepest gratitude to the President and the people of Ghana for commemorating 400 years of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia. “We go on many trips, but nothing compares to this one. We feel a special connection because of our history. The historical nature of commemorating 400 years of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans makes this trip special. Truly, this trip strikes to the heart” the Speaker said.
The visit will include a tour of some of Ghana’s historic slave-trading ports including Elmina and Cape Coast Dungeons, the Slave Heritage site at Assin Manso which houses the remains of slave ancestors brought down from the United States including a former U.S. Naval officer, Samuel Carson among others. A forty-member delegation will accompany the Speaker on this trip including members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The Ambassador was accompanied by Joseph Ngminebayihi, Head of Consular Department, Kofi Tonto, Head of Information & Public Affairs and Bernard Acquah, First Secretary/Political Affairs.
Source: Embassy of Ghana, USA
Nkrumah, Padmore and Du Bois, Honoured in PANAFEST Wreath-Laying Ceremony
PANAFEST & Emancipation officially opened with a wreath-laying ceremony remembering three important pioneers in the Pan African movement; George Padmore, W.E.B. DuBois and Kwame Nkrumah. All three were passionate about uniting the global African family and were responsible for laying a foundation that made a positive change for people of African descent.
PANAFEST & Emancipation are deeply rooted in celebrating the African family and teaching the knowledge and heritage of our people. The events are taking place from 24th July – 2nd August at locations in Accra and Cape Coast. This year’s theme is ‘Beyond 400 Years: Reaching Across Continents into the Future.’ The first day’s events began at the W.E.B DuBois Centre for Pan-African Culture in Cantonments, Accra with a ceremony that included the laying of wreaths on his grave. Everyone then moved to the George Padmore Library where Padmore’s remains have been laid to rest to also perform a ceremony laying wreaths in his honour. At this location, an eternal flame was lit. “May our commitment to the cause of Africa and to the upliftment of its people everywhere on the continent and the Americas wherever the black race should find himself never die by the lighting of this flame,” said Ben Anane-Nsiah, Product Development Manager at Ghana Tourism Authority.
The final part of the program was at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra Central. Dignitaries and notable people from the diaspora were in attendance including Stephanie S. Sullivan, the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Akwasi Ababio, Director of Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President, Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, Claudia Turbay Quintero, Ambassador, Embassy of Columbia, and Dr. Thomas Mensah, Chemical Engineer and Inventor, and H.E. Dr. Erieka Bennett, Head of Mission Diaspora African Forum, are just a few of the key attendees at the event.
A.J. Johnson, an Actress and Motivational Coach from the U.S. participated in the events with laying a wreath in honour of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president. She said she couldn’t believe that she only came to Ghana for the first time just over 6 months ago and now here she was participating in a significant event. She was honoured to be asked to lay a wreath in memoriam of Nkrumah.
Steven Golding, President of UNIA Jamaica, delivered a compelling speech at Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. He spoke of how Jamaicans positively received President Nana Akufo-Addo on his recent trip to Jamaica, “We look forward to the day when all African nations will welcome home with open arms the sons and daughters of those who were ripped from this continent hundreds of years ago, because as Peter Tosh said no matter where we come from as long as we are black we are Africans.”
Dr. Thomas Mensah, Chemical Engineer, Inventor and holder of 14 U.S. patents gave his keynote address just before the crowd moved towards the wreath-laying at Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. His passion for uplifting Black people globally resonated in all he said. His motto, “The Right Stuff Comes in Black Too” is meant to inspire us to believe in the possibility of success when we believe in ourselves and learn to work together. It’s about breaking the negative stereotypes about Africa and black people worldwide.
This is just the beginning of many events scheduled over the coming week for PANAFEST & Emancipation. For more information on upcoming activities, visit the website www.panafestghana.org.
Year Of Return: U S House Speaker Pelosi, Congressional Black Caucus to Visit Ghana
The Year of Return has attracted a steady stream of African Americans and other people of African Descent to Ghana this year. But at the end of July between the 28th and the 31st, the highest-level delegation yet will arrive in Ghana with a big bang. And until they arrive, organizers are keeping a tight lip for security reasons.
United States Congressional leaders including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be in Ghana for an official state visit. Their visit will is at the invitation of His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo as part of this ‘Year of Return, Ghana 2019’ celebrations.
The delegation will also participate in some #YearOfReturn Panafest / Emancipation day activities. The would also be hosted by his Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House as well as visit some historic sites in the country.
Watch this space for more…
Year Of Return: Ghana Navy Partners GTA, Year of Return and PANAFEST for historic “Return Journey”
The Ghana Navy is collaborating with the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Panafest Foundation to organize a symbolic boat ride from Cape Coast to Elimina Castle for diaspora returnees as part of the Panafest Akwaaba ceremony on Friday 26th July 2019.
The Cape Coast and Elmina Castle/dungeons together with the many forts that dot the Ghanaian coastline played major roles as holding points for millions of the captives who were transported to the Americas as slaves.
The boat ride is a symbolic reversal of that infamous voyage of ‘No Return’ and a statement of Ghana’s willingness and readiness to welcome all sons of Africa back home in this ‘Year of Return’ and thereafter.
The Ghana Navy plans to deploy a Snake Class Patrol boat and smaller Defender class boats for the historic journey.
The collaboration with the Navy highlights the growing interest of the Year of Return Project which was officially launched by the President of Ghana in September 2018.
Boat rides will start at 8:00 am at the Cape Coast Castle ‘Door of No Return’ to the Elmina Castle ‘Door of Return’.
This historic trip has also been tied to activities marking the Ghana Navy’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.
There would however be canoe rides alongside.