The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called for stronger collaboration among institutions and agencies to expand the reach of the AfroGastro Festival and promote Ghana’s cultural identity on the global stage.
She made this call at the launch of the 2026 National Heritage Photo Competition and AfroGastro Festival in Accra on Friday.
She noted that government was working closely with the African Union Development Agency and UNESCO to deepen partnerships around the festival and increase its impact.
She said government was also extending invitations to more organisations and agencies to support the initiative, stressing that long-term success could only be achieved through teamwork and collective effort.
According to the Minister, this year’s AfroGastro Festival will bring together chefs, culinary innovators, traditional food practitioners, indigenous knowledge bearers, nutritionists, food historians, cultural scholars and entrepreneurs from across Africa.
She explained that the festival would focus on indigenous ingredients, forgotten recipes, preventive health, culinary tourism, youth-led innovation and agribusiness opportunities.
The Minister said AfroGastro was helping position Ghana as a culinary destination in Africa while creating opportunities for chefs, farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry.
She added that the festival, together with the National Heritage Photo Competition, formed part of efforts to promote the Black Star Experience and showcase Ghana’s culture through food, fashion, music, dance and the arts.
The Minister noted that the initiatives would also support tourism, social cohesion and Pan-African cultural exchange.
She recalled the success of the maiden National Heritage Photo Competition held last year, where young people from across the country submitted photographs capturing festivals, architecture, rituals, landscapes and everyday life in Ghana.
According to her, the entries demonstrated the creativity of Ghanaian youth and the growing interest in preserving cultural heritage through photography.
Launching the 2026 competition under the theme “Promoting Creativity and Heritage Through the Eyes of the Youth,” the Minister said the initiative would help nurture a new generation of cultural ambassadors and documentarians.
She said the competition was open to young people aged 25 years and below and would provide a platform for them to highlight Ghana’s cultural heritage through photography.
The Minister urged young people to continue telling Ghana’s stories through their creativity and called for collective efforts to preserve the country’s heritage.
Adwoa Koramah Anokye Gyimah & Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
