Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has underscored the need for Ghana to lead in telling its own historical narratives, highlighting this as a key step toward achieving the moral and socioeconomic benefits of repatriations.

Speaking at the 2025 PANAFEST Emancipation celebrations in Cape Coast (Victoria Park), the Vice President emphasised the importance of embedding Pan-African ideals in the younger generation.

She stressed that a strong sense of identity and historical awareness is essential for shaping the continent’s future.

This year’s event, themed “Let Us Speak of Reparative Justice – Pan-African Artistic Activism,” brought together a rich tapestry of participants, including chiefs from the Oguaa Traditional Council, government officials, cultural leaders, religious leaders, members of the African diaspora, media and the general public.

Also addressing the gathering, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Abla Gomashie, stated that the 2025 celebration reflects Ghana’s deepened commitment to healing, cultural renewal, and collective progress—guided by the themes of solidarity, remembrance, and innovation.

The minister further highlighted the unique role PANAFEST plays in shaping Ghana’s cultural identity and reinforcing its position as a symbol of Pan-African pride and historical consciousness.

The event saw a rich display of Ghanaian tradition and Culture including dancing, drumming and singing.

It was a moment of deep reflection of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Panafest Emancipation 2025 seeks to provide platforms to generate storytelling and engagements to achieve a more thorough understanding of the basis for Raparative Justice and rekindle the Emancipation agenda.