Cape Coast, Ghana \u2013 July 31, 2025 \u2014 \u201cCape Coast Castle is not just a place of remembrance\u2014it is a site of deep reflection, of honor, and of reconnection with the strong spirit of our ancestors,\u201d declared Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in a statement delivered on her behalf by Mr. Joseph Kwasi Amoah, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and creative arts a moving vigil held last night at the historic Cape Coast Castle. \u201cTheir cries still echo in the stone. Their resilience demands our action.\u201d Her statement said.<\/p>\n
The vigil formed part of Ghana\u2019s Emancipation Day commemorations, offering a solemn moment to honor the memory of African ancestors whose lives were violently disrupted by the transatlantic slave trade. As night fell, the castle\u2019s haunting corridors transformed into sacred ground for reflection, remembrance, and renewed purpose.
\nThis year\u2019s Emancipation Night, themed \u201cLet Us Speak of Reparatory Justice: Pan-African Artistic Activism,\u201d featured a powerful three-part program that began with the Gathering and Redemption March. Participants\u2014comprising locals and members of the African diaspora\u2014walked from Mfantsipim Junction to the castle gates, retracing in reverse the path many enslaved Africans were once forced to take.<\/p>\n
A wreath-laying ceremony at the castle gates paid tribute to the millions who died or suffered during centuries of enslavement. In a moment of poignant silence, flowers were placed in memory of lives lost and legacies stolen.
\nProf. Esi Sutherland- Addy, delivering remarks during the vigil, thanked the diasporan community for their continued connection and solidarity. \u201cWe are deeply moved by the turnout of our brothers and sisters from the diaspora,\u201d she said. \u201cYour presence reminds us that though we were scattered, we remain connected in spirit, in purpose, and in memory.\u201d
\nShe also called for increased investment\u2014both local and international\u2014in the PANAFEST Emancipation Programe, urging stakeholders to support ongoing efforts to uplift African heritage, unity, and healing through such cultural commemoration.
\nThe ceremony concluded with affirmations of commitment to keeping the African story alive. The vigil program e was attended by management and staff of the Ministry and the Ghana Tourism Authority.
\nEmancipation Day celebrations continue today in Assin Manso, the historic site where enslaved Africans took their final bath before being confined to coastal dungeons\u2014a further step in the national journey of remembrance and reconnection.
\nSource: Delassie Mabel Awuku- Public Relations unit-MoTCCA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cape Coast, Ghana \u2013 July 31, 2025 \u2014 \u201cCape Coast Castle is not just a place of remembrance\u2014it is a site of deep reflection, of honor, and of reconnection with the strong spirit of our ancestors,\u201d declared Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in a statement delivered on her behalf…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-updates","category-1","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6525"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6526,"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6525\/revisions\/6526"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motcca.gov.gh\/motcca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}