HON. ABLA DZIFA GOMASHIE, MINISTER FOR TOURISM, CULTURE AND CREATIVE ARTS SUCCESSFULLY LEADS GHANA’S DELEGATION TO SOUTH KOREA TO SECURE MORE SUPPORT TO IMPROVE OUR HERITAGE SECTOR

The Hon. Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has successfully led Ghana’s delegation to the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, where the country secured significant international support towards the conservation, management and sustainable development of Ghana’s World Heritage properties.
The Ghana delegation participated actively in the Committee’s deliberations and engaged key international partners through a series of high-level bilateral meetings. These included engagements with the Africa World Heritage Fund (AWHF), the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHIPIC), the Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, and the Executive Director of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO. The discussions focused on strengthening Ghana’s heritage management systems, enhancing technical capacity and mobilising resources to address the conservation needs of the country’s World Heritage sites, particularly its Forts and Castles.
The visit yielded remarkable outcomes for Ghana. The Africa World Heritage Fund agreed to support the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) through specialised human resource development and capacity-building programmes aimed at strengthening heritage conservation and management. In addition, WHIPIC committed to providing technical training for officers of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board in heritage site interpretation and visitor experience management, an important intervention that will improve the presentation and appreciation of Ghana’s heritage sites.
In a major boost to Ghana’s ongoing efforts to preserve its World Heritage properties, the Korean National Commission for UNESCO also pledged US$3.5 million to support restoration activities at six selected Forts and Castles. This significant commitment will complement the Government of Ghana’s efforts to implement the recommendations of UNESCO and ensure the long-term conservation of these globally significant monuments.
During the visit, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, accompanied by Ghana’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, H.E. Kojo Choi, and members of the Ghanaian delegation, participated in the graduation ceremony for six Ghanaian officials who successfully completed a specialised capacity-building programme organised by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO in Seoul. The beneficiaries, drawn from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO, the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, and the Environmental Protection Agency, received intensive training on managing the impacts of climate change on cultural heritage sites. The ceremony underscored the strong partnership between Ghana and the Republic of Korea in heritage conservation and highlighted the importance of equipping Ghanaian professionals with the technical knowledge and skills required to build the resilience of the country’s World Heritage properties against the growing threats posed by climate change. The Hon. Minister congratulated the participants on their achievement and expressed Ghana’s appreciation to the Korean National Commission for UNESCO for its continued investment in developing the country’s heritage management capacity.
The Hon. Minister also expressed Ghana’s profound appreciation to the Government and people of the Republic of Korea, UNESCO, the Africa World Heritage Fund and WHIPIC for their continued partnership and confidence in Ghana’s commitment to safeguarding its cultural heritage. She reaffirmed the Government’s determination, under the leadership of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, to protect and promote Ghana’s rich cultural heritage as a catalyst for tourism development, education, job creation and sustainable national development.
The delegation led by the Hon. Minister was made up of Mrs. Meredith Naakai Lamptey Addy, Ghana’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Prof. Usman Damba, Secretary-General, Ghana National Commission for UNESCO, Mr. Kwesi Essel Blankson, Ag. Executive Director, Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and Mr. Divine Kwame Owusu-Ansah, Director for Culture and Creative Arts at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
Source : Divine Owusu Ansah- Director Culture and Creative Arts-MoTCCA