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Professor Kwame Offei
Professor Kwame Offei

Prof Kwame Offei calls for cultural policy into national development

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana in charge of Academic and Student Affairs, Professor Kwame Offei has called for the development of a cultural policy that incorporates essential part of Ghana’s history into the general national development process.

According to him, strategies of national development depend on the understanding of culture and the adaptation of its elements for political, educational, economic and social integration.

Speaking at the celebration of the 2018 Chinese Spring Festival which marks the annual Chinese Lunar New Year at the University of Ghana Basic Schools last Thursday, he explained that culture has its own social, economic, and political consequences in the life of any nation and the unique aspects of Ghana’s cultural values create a climate that is capable of transforming personal and economic development.

He added that the celebration of Ghana’s rich traditional cultures and indigenous systems, as well as understanding and appreciating the values and ideals of past cultures, lay the foundation that initiates the transformation.

“We have heard comments that our cultures and traditions are old-fashioned; they hold back progress in nation building and that we should completely forget about them and adopt new ways of life. Some say they are ‘dirty’ and ‘primitive,” he said.

In addition, Prof Offei said, “I do not agree with these comments because some of us are living examples of what our cultures and traditions did for us when we were young. They helped us develop and molded our attitudes and characters to be productive, useful, purposeful and progressive”.

He said as the relationship between the Ghanaian society and the Chinese society grows, “it is important to understand each other’s culture and traditions as they strengthen the relationship and increase mutual understanding and tolerance”.

“The more we know about Chinese culture, the more we understand them and the more we are able to build peaceful relationships with them”, he stated.

Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Sun Baohong, in her speech noted that the exchange of languages is not only a bond of mutual understanding but also a platform to build the Confucius Institute into a bridge of friendship and a propeller for win-win cooperation between China and Ghana.

Madam Baohong said through the effort of the Confucius Institute, more Ghanaians are beginning to know China, understand China and fall in love with China through the institute.

She expressed optimism that such friendship would be guided by the concept of "Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind through cooperation and innovation”.

As China marks its New Year, the Chinese Ambassador thanked the Board of Directors and all the faculty members of the University of Ghana for their support to the Confucius Institute in the past years singling out the Chinese Director Dr. Mei Meilian, the Chinese teachers and volunteers for their contributions.

Students from the University of Ghana and a delegation from Zhejiang University of Technology performed traditional Chinese dragon and lion dance,“Bianlian” (changing face), martial arts and classic dance, as well as traditional, Chinese instruments performances such as Ocarina (Taodi) and Guzheng.

A food and cultural fair where Chinese paper cutting, knot-tying, Peking opera facial makeup painting, tea art, and others were displayed to the public.

 

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