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Ms. Catherine Afeku (left) in discussion with the Cuban delegation. On his left, Pedro Luis Gonzalez Despaign, Cuba's ambbadador to Ghana. Image: EMMANUEL ASAMOAH ADDAI
A Cuban delegation from the African Cultural Center in Cuba, composed of four members, had talks with Mrs. Cathrine Afeku, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, as part of a collaboration between Ghana and Cuba on the program "Year of the return 2019". to be hosted in Ghana.
The delegation was led by Cuba's ambbadador to Ghana, Pedro Luis González Despaign.
The other members were: a renowned Cuban sculptor and painter, Alberto Lescay; Associate Researcher of the African Cultural Center, Marino Fuertes; and Dr. Manta Emilia Cordies Jackson, also of the African Cultural Center of Cuba.
Return year 2019
During Ms. Afeku's courtesy visit to her office in Accra last Friday, she said the group was in Ghana to share knowledge and skills with her counterparts in Ghana regarding the program.
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She said Ghana would host more than 500,000 diasporans at the celebration of the event that will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first mooring of a ship that dragged Africans into slavery in the Americas.
The Minister of Tourism told the delegation that since President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had officially proclaimed 2019 "Year of Return" for all African descendants of the Diaspora captured and transported as slaves in the 17th and 18th centuries centuries, in the Americas. people had expressed interest in returning to Africa.
Focus
Ms. Afeku explained that the "Year of Return" sought to make Ghana the main focus for millions of African descendants reacting to their marginalization by tracking down their ancestors and their identities. In doing so, Ghana would become the beacon of African peoples living on the continent and the diaspora.
"The proclamation recognizes Ghana's unique position as the location of 75% of the slave dungeons built on the West Coast of Africa and the President's policy of making the country a national priority to wish for. welcome to Africans from the diaspora, "she says.
One million slaves
For its part, the Cuban ambbadador said that the year of return was very important to Cubans because during the slave trade period, more than a million Africans found themselves in Cuba and their dependents played a very important role in the struggle for Cuba's independence.
After visiting the castles of Cape Coast and Elmina, the group realized that their ancestors were strong and brave and that they had gone to their destination, considering the treatments inhumane that had been inflicted on them.
Mr. Gonzalez noted that culture was a very important aspect of the celebration and that the Cuban sculptor who erected bronze busts in some parts of Cuba was expecting to work with Ghanaian artists to build monumental monuments in Cuba. Accra.
Plan of the program
The Year of Return is inspired by the Joseph Project and leaders such as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Dr. George Padmore, and Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois who led and founded pan-Africanism with a series of activities, actions and interactions led by Ghana.
The event, which will last throughout the year, is expected to bring together about 350,000 people from North America and 150,000 from the Caribbean and Latin America to Ghana.
Other activities include a Jamaican Reunion Festival in Ghana, a Waxprint Documentary Film Festival, Black Prophet's Return Celebrations, Emancipation Day, a Marcus Garvey Awards, an exhibition on natural hair and an African / American summit on investment and business development.
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