The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts today officially opened the historic AfroGastro Festival 2025, a vibrant celebration of Africa’s diverse culinary heritage, at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra. The maiden edition, dubbed AfroGastro, brought together dignitaries, diplomats, chefs, cultural stakeholders, and enthusiasts from across the continent and the world, highlighting food as a powerful tool for unity, diplomacy, and economic development.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, emphasized the central role of food in preserving identity, promoting cross-cultural understanding, and stimulating socio-economic transformation across Africa.
“It gives me great pleasure to address you at this historic maiden edition of the Afro-Gastronomy Fair 2025,” she said. “Food is equality, the most delicious form of dialogue among nations, among people, and among families.”
The Minister described food not merely as nourishment but as an archive of history and an instrument of diplomacy.
“Our cuisine represents a common heritage, one that transcends borders, languages, and ethnicities,” the Minister noted. “Through initiatives like AfroGastro, we showcase how our diverse culinary traditions contribute to a collective African identity.”
The event, attended by a host of dignitaries including Hon. Yussif Isaaka Jajah, Deputy Minister of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts, Chief Director, Mr. Joseph Kwasi Amoah, Directors of the Ministry, heads of agencies, and representatives from the diplomatic corps, including ambassadors and officials from Barbados, Senegal, Morocco, Suriname, Peru, UNESCO, Mexico, the British High Commission, Equatorial Guinea and the African Union who partnered with the Ministry for the Afro Gastro event, lauded the Ministry for such a strategic move to elevate African gastronomy on the global stage.
Speakers commended the Ministry for championing culinary diplomacy and called for deeper collaboration in promoting Africa’s food tourism sector.
Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie also shared her personal journey as a cultural ambassador, having cooked in countries like Algeria, South Korea, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and the United Kingdom, using food as a lens to understand and connect with people across cultures.
“I don’t cook to eat by myself; I cook to understand,” she said. “Each country has its way of preparing the same ingredients. That’s the beauty of food, it’s both individual and universal.”
Beyond celebration, AfroGastro is also positioned as a platform for economic empowerment, job creation, and creative entrepreneurship. The Ministry is working with stakeholders including culinary schools, local farmers, hospitality institutions, and entrepreneurs to support the growth of the creative economy through food.
“This festival is not just a showpiece,” Hon. Gomashie said. “It is an investment in the future of our public league, a platform for collaboration, and a catalyst for economic transformation.”
In a stirring closing, the Minister reminded participants that food is also a political and cultural act, a way to reclaim and preserve African identity in a rapidly globalizing world.
“Our food is more than nourishment, it is memory, it is history, it is identity,” she said. “Through food, we tell our stories, share our values, and unite our nations.”
Held at a symbolic venue that honors pan-Africanist legacies, the AfroGastro Festival was also tied to Ghana’s broader diaspora engagement strategy, including initiatives like “Beyond the Return”, “Ghana Culture Day”, “Climate First”, Emancipation Day, and Sankofa Festival, all aiming to position Ghana as a gateway to African heritage and a global hub for cultural tourism.
The festival continues with exhibitions, live cooking experiences, tastings, and panel discussions, providing a platform for countries to showcase their national cuisines while fostering cultural dialogue and innovation.
Source: Delassie Mabel Awuku-PR- Unit- MoTCCA
