Paris, France – July 9, 2025 — Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving its cultural and historical landmarks during the ongoing 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, which is taking place from July 7 to 17, 2025, in Paris. Addressing the distinguished gathering, Ghana’s Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, outlined Ghana’s active engagement with global heritage institutions and highlighted ongoing national efforts to safeguard its heritage assets.
Taking the floor for the first time during this session, Hon. Gomashie extended gratitude to UNESCO and partner organizations—including ICCROM, ICOMOS, and IUCN—for their continuous support in protecting Ghana’s World Heritage Sites, particularly the historic Forts and Castles of Ghana.
The Minister acknowledged a recent Reactive Monitoring mission to the Forts and Castles and affirmed the new government’s full dedication to implementing recommendations from past assessments. “We are committed to ensuring that the Forts and Castles World Heritage Property are properly conserved and protected,” she said.
Hon. Gomashie expressed Ghana’s support for the synergy between tangible and intangible heritage, applauding earlier draft decisions and reiterating Ghana’s alignment with ongoing international frameworks. “We are currently implementing the 2030 indicators for culture as part of our national development framework,” she noted.
A significant highlight of Ghana’s cultural agenda, according to the Minister, is the Black Star Experience—a comprehensive cultural initiative designed to position Ghana as a key player in Africa’s cultural and creative industries.
Ghana also welcomed progress under the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa, especially Output 4 of the “Capacity Building for an Integrated Approach to Safeguarding Tangible and Intangible Heritage in Africa,” which promotes a holistic approach to conservation among African states.
Highlighting Ghana’s international engagement, the Minister referenced the country’s participation in the Second Naples Conference on Cultural Heritage in June 2025, underscoring its relevance as a precursor to the upcoming MONDIACULT 2025. “We are especially looking forward to MONDIACULT 2025, which we believe will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the global cultural agenda,” she emphasized.
In closing, Ghana voiced its support for Kenya’s amendment to the draft decision currently under discussion, reinforcing the unity of the Africa Group on heritage policy matters.
Ghana’s active participation in the 47th Session underscores its growing leadership in cultural policy and heritage preservation on the African continent and beyond.
Source: Mabel Delassie Awuku-PR Unit -MoTCCA
