2024 Heritage Month launched
This year's Heritage Month celebration has been launched in Accra with a call on citizens to make conscious efforts to preserve the nation’s traditions and culture.
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The event, which was launched by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), in collaboration with an Accra-based Citi TV-Citi FM, is a month-long programme to showcase the diverse cultures of the various regions.
A major component of the programme is the heritage caravan, where people get the opportunity to travel to key tourist sites in various parts of the country.
It also includes a food and music festival to promote the consumption of local food and music.
Support
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GTA, Akwasi Agyeman, who launched the event in Accra last Friday on the theme: “Imagine Ghana: Discover the unknown”, urged the people to support the initiative to help boost the tourism sector.
There was glitz and glamour on the premises of the media organisation as the workers' apparel reflected the country’s beautiful cultural diversity.
They were adorned in traditional attires such as smock, kente and white cloths, with the ladies in particular, decorated in beautiful beads, headgears and traditional sandals to match.
Amid drumming, singing and dancing to traditional music, they portrayed royalty from all parts of the country.
Game changer
Mr Agyeman further described the heritage month as one of the game-changing events in the country’s tourism sector, which rallied citizens to appreciate their cultural heritage.
He said the initiative had also led to improvement in some areas of the tourism landscape, especially visitation to tourist sites and preservation of cultural heritage.
For instance, he said through the awareness creation, visits to domestic tourist sites had increased from 950,000 in 2022 to over 1.4 million in 2023.
“The Heritage Caravan has been to all parts of the country and through those visits, people have gotten to know that instead of travelling to Dubai, they can go to Paga or Nzulezu.
“This leads to a boost in economic activities because one visitor has a value chain of transportation, accommodation, food and other activities,” the CEO added.
He said other initiatives in the sector, such as “See Ghana”, “Eat Ghana” and “Feel Ghana”, had also been successful because of the priority the media gave to those events.
He said that there was a need for the people to change the mindset of their culture and embrace the wearing of local attires and the consumption of locally-made products, including food.
Significance
The CEO of Citi TV-Citi FM, Samuel Atta Mensah, said his outfit was motivated to sustain the heritage month, which spanned 14 years, because it was a positive initiative that showcased the rich culture of the country.
“This month coincides with our independence celebration, so we need to celebrate and rediscover our identity, tell our stories and all the things that make us who we are,” he said.
Mr Mensah said it was also significant because it helped to preserve and document the cultural diversities in the country for posterity.
National event
For his part, the General Manager of Citi TV-Citi FM, Bernard Avle, said it was refreshing that the Heritage Month initiative, which started as a radio campaign, had transformed into a bigger national event.
“The theme encapsulates the rich cultural heritage and encourages citizens to believe in Ghana.
“Let us take advantage of the heritage month to discover the arts, culture and diversities hidden in our communities,” he added.
