Ghana will mark the 2026 Emancipation Day celebration with a series of cultural, historical and commemorative activities across three regions, aimed at honouring the struggles of Africans affected by the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and reconnecting with the African diaspora.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) announced that this year’s celebration, which will climax on August 1 at Assin Manso in the Central Region, will be held under the theme: “Reconnecting Roots, Celebrating Freedom, Experience Ghana.”
According to the GTA, the programme will span the Greater Accra, Central and Upper East regions, featuring activities designed to promote Ghana’s historical heritage, cultural tourism and global African connections.
A statement issued by the Authority and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the annual event, organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, serves as a tribute to the resilience of Africans who endured slavery while celebrating the triumph of freedom and identity.
The activities will commence on Saturday, July 18, with a fitness walk from Ayi Mensah to Peduase in the Greater Accra Region, alongside a similar walk at the Pikworo Slave Camp in the Upper East Region.
On Thursday, July 23, participants will take part in a Tribute to Ancestors ceremony in Accra, which will include wreath-laying ceremonies at key historical sites such as the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre, George Padmore Research Library and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
The celebration will continue on Wednesday, July 29, with traditional durbars at Assin Praso in the Central Region and the Pikworo Slave Camp in the Upper East Region, bringing together chiefs, community leaders and cultural stakeholders.
A major highlight of the commemoration, the annual Reverential Night, will take place at Cape Coast Castle on Friday, July 31.
The night will feature a candlelight procession from Mfantsipim Junction, wreath-laying activities, testimonies, spoken word performances, drama presentations, the Roll Call of Ancestors and the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. Participants have been encouraged to dress in white for the occasion.
The 2026 celebration will conclude on Saturday, August 1, with the Emancipation Day Durbar at the Assin Manso School Park.
The final event will include wreath-laying at the graves of two formerly enslaved Africans and a visit to the historic Nonko Nsuo (Slave River), a significant site associated with the history of the slave trade.
The GTA said the commemoration forms part of Ghana’s broader efforts to preserve historical memory, promote heritage tourism and deepen relations with Africans in the diaspora.
The Authority invited Ghanaians, members of the African diaspora, tourists, traditional authorities, faith-based organisations, cultural groups, development partners and the media to participate in the activities.
