Festivals & Events
Drumming, Spirituality and Scholarship: Ghana Hosts a Global Conversation on Black Sacred Arts
The sound of drums will open the morning, scholars will debate the meaning of sacred sound and ritual, and performers will carry centuries of memory through dance, song, and ceremony.
From July 22 to 24, Ghana will once again become a meeting point for some of the world’s most important conversations about African spirituality, creativity, and identity during the Black Sacred Arts Conference.
Hosted by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, the annual gathering returns to Ghana for its fifth edition, bringing together artists, researchers, religious leaders, musicians, and cultural thinkers from across Africa, the Americas, and beyond.
For visitors unfamiliar with the phrase “Black sacred arts,” the conference explores how music, ritual, dance, storytelling, visual arts, and spirituality shape everyday life in African and diasporic communities.
At the heart of the event is the idea of Africa’s “triple religious heritage” — indigenous belief systems, Christianity, and Islam — and the ways these traditions continue to influence one another across generations. But this is far from a quiet academic meeting.
The conference moves through live performances, ritual demonstrations, sacred music discussions, shrine visits, and conversations that connect the spiritual with the artistic.
Visitors can expect a deeply immersive atmosphere. Opening performances by the Ghana Dance Ensemble and traditional Lunsi performers will fill the venue with movement and rhythm rooted in centuries-old traditions.
Scholars will examine everything from Ghana’s sacred trumpet music and Dagara gyil worship practices to digital Pentecostalism in Nigeria and Vodou aesthetics across the Black Atlantic.
One of the most anticipated experiences is the Lahare Kunde Shrine event, which offers participants a closer look at sacred spaces and ritual practices that are rarely accessible to international audiences.
Discussions on gender, spirituality, resistance, and performance will sit alongside lecture-demonstrations and musical presentations, creating a programme that feels as alive as the subjects it studies.
For international travellers, the conference offers something deeper than sightseeing. It provides an opportunity to encounter Ghana through its spiritual and artistic traditions rather than through tourist brochures alone.
For Ghanaians, it is also a chance to reconnect with cultural practices that continue to shape language, festivals, music, and community life, even in rapidly modernising cities.
Lunch shared between sessions, spontaneous hallway conversations, drumming echoing between lectures, and performances charged with emotion all contribute to the experience. The event becomes less about observation and more about participation in a living cultural dialogue.
As global interest in African history and heritage continues to grow, the Black Sacred Arts Conference stands out as a rare gathering where scholarship, spirituality, and performance meet in the same room — and where Ghana once again takes centre stage in that conversation.
Festivals & Events
Okyir Festival: Anomabo’s Colourful Celebration of Harvest, Heritage and Gratitude
The streets of Anomabo come alive long before the first ceremonial procession begins. The rhythmic beat of traditional drums rolls through the coastal town, women dressed in brilliant kente and colourful cloth gather in family compounds, and chiefs emerge in regal splendour beneath richly decorated umbrellas.
The scent of freshly prepared local dishes fills the air as thousands of residents and visitors unite for one purpose—to celebrate the Okyir Festival, one of the Central Region’s cherished cultural traditions.
Held every October, the annual harvest festival is a moment of thanksgiving for the people of Anomabo.
Rooted in Akan tradition, Okyir is an opportunity to express gratitude for a successful farming season while honouring the ancestors whose guidance and protection are believed to continue shaping the community’s future.
It is a celebration where the past and present meet in joyful harmony.
The festival begins with customary rites led by traditional leaders and elders, who offer prayers and libation to acknowledge the ancestors and seek blessings for the months ahead.
Chiefs, queen mothers, and community leaders appear in magnificent ceremonial attire, accompanied by colourful processions through the town.
Cultural performances, traditional drumming, energetic dancing, and the firing of muskets add excitement to the occasion, creating an atmosphere that is both festive and deeply symbolic.
Beyond its ceremonial importance, Okyir serves as an annual homecoming. Families return to reconnect with relatives, old friendships are renewed, and younger generations learn the customs that define their identity. Local artisans, food vendors, and traders also benefit from the influx of visitors, making the festival an important economic event alongside its cultural and spiritual significance.
For international travellers, Okyir offers far more than colourful photographs. It provides an authentic introduction to Ghana’s living traditions, where gratitude, respect for ancestry, and community pride remain central to everyday life.
For Ghanaians, it is a reminder that cultural heritage continues to thrive when it is celebrated together.
Anyone seeking to understand the heart of Ghana’s coastal traditions will find it in Anomabo each October.
The Okyir Festival is more than a harvest celebration—it is a joyful expression of history, belonging and the enduring spirit of a community that proudly honours its roots while welcoming the future.
Festivals & Events
Accra Set to Host Pan African AI & Innovation Summit 2026
In September 2026, Accra will once again position itself at the center of Africa’s innovation conversation as technology leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and curious minds gather for the Pan African AI & Innovation Summit at the prestigious Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra.
Set for September 22–23, the summit arrives at a pivotal moment for the continent. Across Africa, artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping industries ranging from agriculture and healthcare to finance, education, and creative arts. Against this backdrop, the event serves as more than a technology conference—it is a meeting point for ideas that could influence Africa’s economic and social future.

A Platform for Africa’s Digital Future
The Pan African AI & Innovation Summit brings together innovators from across the continent to explore emerging technologies and discuss how African-led solutions can address local and global challenges. As governments and businesses invest heavily in digital transformation, the summit offers a valuable platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and investment opportunities.
Hosting the event in Accra is particularly significant. Ghana has steadily earned recognition as one of West Africa’s leading technology hubs, attracting startups, multinational companies, and young entrepreneurs eager to build the next generation of digital solutions.
What Visitors Can Expect
Attendees can look forward to a dynamic atmosphere filled with keynote presentations, panel discussions, networking sessions, product showcases, and demonstrations of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies. Conversations are expected to cover topics such as machine learning, robotics, digital entrepreneurship, smart cities, fintech innovation, and the future of work.
Beyond the conference halls, visitors will experience the energy of Accra itself. The city blends modern business districts with rich cultural traditions, vibrant markets, contemporary art spaces, and a thriving culinary scene. International guests attending the summit will have opportunities to explore Ghanaian hospitality, sample local cuisine, and engage with one of Africa’s most welcoming destinations.
Why Attend?
For tourists, the summit offers a unique chance to witness Africa’s innovation ecosystem firsthand while discovering Ghana’s cultural richness. For local participants, it provides direct access to industry leaders, potential partners, and emerging opportunities in the rapidly growing technology sector.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the world, the Pan African AI & Innovation Summit promises to be a gathering where ideas, cultures, and innovation converge. For anyone interested in the future of Africa, Accra will be the place to be this September.
Festivals & Events
Inside DASA 2026: The Summit Bringing Blockchain Innovation to the Heart of Ghana
The buzz of innovation will fill the air in Accra this September as entrepreneurs, investors, technology enthusiasts, and policymakers gather for the Digital Assets Summit Africa (DASA) 2026.
Set against the elegant backdrop of the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra, the two-day event promises to transform Ghana’s capital into a meeting point for some of the most influential voices shaping Africa’s digital economy.
Scheduled for September 29–30, 2026, DASA has grown into a flagship platform dedicated to exploring the rapidly evolving world of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and digital assets.
At a time when African nations are increasingly embracing financial technology and digital innovation, the summit reflects a broader movement toward economic transformation across the continent.
Hosting such a gathering in Ghana highlights the country’s growing reputation as a hub for entrepreneurship, innovation, and forward-thinking business leadership.
Visitors can expect far more than conference presentations. The summit will feature engaging panel discussions, expert-led workshops, networking sessions, and conversations about the future of finance, investment, and technology in Africa.
Delegates will have opportunities to connect with startup founders, venture capitalists, blockchain developers, regulators, and industry leaders from across the globe. The atmosphere is expected to be dynamic, with ideas flowing as freely as business cards.
For international visitors, DASA offers a unique opportunity to experience Ghana beyond the conference hall. Accra’s lively arts scene, welcoming hospitality, diverse cuisine, and energetic nightlife provide the perfect complement to the summit experience.
From tasting local favourites such as waakye and jollof rice to exploring cultural landmarks and creative districts, guests can gain a deeper appreciation of contemporary Ghanaian life.
For locals, the event presents a chance to engage directly with conversations shaping Africa’s digital future while connecting with innovators from across the continent.
Whether you are a technology professional, investor, student, or curious observer, DASA 2026 offers a front-row seat to one of the most important conversations of our time.
As Africa’s digital landscape continues to evolve, DASA 2026 stands as an invitation to learn, connect, and imagine what comes next. In Accra this September, the future will not simply be discussed—it will be built.
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