Festivals & Events
Young African Changemakers Gather in Accra for the 6th COYALA Leadership Convergence
On a warm June evening in Accra, a room filled with ambitious young Africans will gather not just to celebrate success, but to imagine the continent’s future.
The 6th Convergence of Young African Leaders/Award (COYALA 2026) promises to be one of those rare events where energy, ideas, and inspiration collide—bringing together emerging voices who are shaping Africa’s next chapter.
Scheduled for June 4, 2026, at the British Council auditorium, the convergence will welcome more than 200 young leaders from across the continent.
Organized by the Africa Young Leaders Initiative, the gathering is part of a growing movement that seeks to spotlight young Africans driving change in entrepreneurship, social development, governance, education, and innovation.
Now in its sixth edition, COYALA has steadily grown into a platform that celebrates African leadership while fostering collaboration across borders. Each year, the event highlights individuals who are making a measurable impact in their communities and industries.
At the 2026 gathering, 20 outstanding Africans will be honored for their contributions to development, creativity, and social transformation.
This year’s theme—“Inspiring a New Generation of Passionate Leaders for Africa’s Development”—captures a broader shift happening across the continent.
With Africa’s youth population rapidly expanding, platforms like COYALA are becoming increasingly important spaces for mentorship, recognition, and networking.
But COYALA is more than an awards ceremony. Visitors can expect a vibrant atmosphere filled with storytelling, networking sessions, and conversations about Africa’s future. Attendees often exchange ideas about leadership, innovation, and social impact while building connections that stretch across countries and sectors.
For international visitors, the convergence offers a window into Africa’s dynamic youth culture. Accra itself adds to the experience. Known as one of the continent’s most welcoming and culturally vibrant capitals, the city blends tradition with modern creativity—from its lively art scene to its music, cuisine, and warm hospitality.
Guests attending COYALA often extend their stay to explore local attractions, markets, beaches, and cultural landmarks.
For Ghanaians, the event carries its own special significance. It reflects the country’s longstanding reputation as a hub for dialogue, diplomacy, and youth engagement in West Africa.
Seeing young Africans gather in Accra to exchange ideas reinforces the country’s role as a meeting point for continental collaboration.
Beyond the formal program, the real magic of COYALA lies in the conversations that happen between sessions—young entrepreneurs meeting potential partners, activists sharing stories of grassroots impact, and innovators discovering new opportunities to work together.
As the evening unfolds, COYALA 2026 will stand as a reminder that Africa’s future is being shaped not only by established leaders, but by a rising generation ready to lead with creativity, courage, and vision.
For travelers, students, professionals, and anyone curious about Africa’s evolving story, this gathering offers something powerful: a front-row seat to the continent’s next generation of changemakers.
Festivals & Events
Why Abadinto Could Redefine How Ghana Experiences Art
On a warm Friday evening in Accra, an art gathering called Abadinto will attempt something many galleries rarely do — remove the distance between the artist and the audience.
No hushed rooms. No intimidating formality. Just conversation, creativity, and a city eager to redefine how art is experienced.
Taking place on June 5 at the Accra Art District, Abadinto: An Outdooring for a New Art Experience in Accra borrows its name from the Akan word for “christening” or “outdooring,” a ceremony traditionally held to introduce a child to the community.
Here, the symbolism is intentional. The event marks the birth of a fresh creative space designed to connect artists, collectors, first-time buyers, and curious visitors in a more open and human way.
In recent years, Accra has become one of West Africa’s most exciting cultural capitals, with a growing contemporary art scene attracting global attention. Yet many young creatives still struggle to access spaces where meaningful exchange can happen naturally.
Abadinto responds to that need by creating an environment where art feels lived-in rather than locked behind gallery etiquette.
Visitors can expect an evening layered with experiences. An open exhibition featuring the Nsuo ne Nsa artists will showcase contemporary works shaped by Ghana’s evolving visual culture.

A panel discussion will explore how intergenerational art spaces can thrive, bringing together voices interested in preserving artistic heritage while making room for new ideas.
The event will also feature a screening and conversation hosted by Grey Area Studio GH, alongside live interactive painting by Chaotic Korsi, where audiences can witness art being created in real time.
Fashion lovers can browse pieces from Lift Shopstyle, while music and informal networking create the atmosphere of a creative community gathering rather than a traditional exhibition opening.

For international visitors, Abadinto offers a rare glimpse into the pulse of modern Accra beyond tourist brochures — a city where art, fashion, conversation, and identity constantly intersect.
For Ghanaians, it presents an opportunity to reconnect with the city’s rapidly evolving creative energy and support a new generation shaping the country’s cultural future.
Most importantly, Abadinto invites people to participate rather than simply observe. In a world where creative spaces can often feel exclusive, this event is choosing openness instead.
And perhaps that is exactly why it matters.
Festivals & Events
Inside Ghana’s Ohum Festival, Where New Yams and Ancient Traditions Unite Communities
The deep sound of fontomfrom drums rolls through the streets before sunrise, while women in bright cloth balance baskets of fresh yams on their heads and children weave excitedly through gathering crowds.
In the Akyem towns of Ghana’s Eastern Region, the Ohum Festival is more than a celebration. It is a homecoming, a thanksgiving, and a powerful reminder of ancestry carried proudly into the present day.
Celebrated by the Akyem people, Ohum marks the first eating of the new yam harvest, one of the most symbolic moments in the traditional calendar.
Before the community can enjoy the season’s fresh crops, rituals are performed to honor ancestors and thank God for protection, fertility, and abundance. For many families, the festival is sacred ground where history, spirituality, and identity meet.
The festival unfolds over two lively days, transforming towns such as Kyebi into centres of colour and cultural display.
Chiefs appear in richly woven kente cloth, adorned with layers of gold ornaments that reflect the historic wealth and authority of the Akyem state. Traditional horn blowers announce royal processions while drummers and dancers fill palace grounds with movement and rhythm.
One of the most anticipated moments is the ceremonial lifting of the ban on eating new yam. Elders offer prayers and libation before the first servings are shared, symbolising gratitude for survival through another farming season. The ritual also honours the labour of farmers whose work sustains entire communities.
Yet Ohum is not only about tradition. It is also a reunion. Families living abroad return home, old friendships are renewed, and younger generations are introduced to customs they may otherwise only hear about in stories.
Local businesses thrive during the festivities as visitors crowd markets, food stalls, and cultural events.
In a rapidly modernising world, festivals like Ohum continue to anchor communities to their roots.
They preserve language, music, dress, and values while reminding people that cultural identity is something to celebrate publicly and proudly.
For travellers seeking a deeper understanding of Ghana beyond beaches and city nightlife, Ohum offers something unforgettable: the chance to witness a living tradition where gratitude, royalty, spirituality, and community still move to the beat of the same drum.
Festivals & Events
Accra’s Professionals Gather for a Night of Purpose, Networking, and Worship
As evening settles over Accra on June 5, the lights at Wesley Towers will welcome a different kind of gathering—one where conversations about careers, faith, ambition, and personal purpose flow side by side.
Professionals dressed in office wear, entrepreneurs fresh from meetings, students preparing for the future, and curious visitors will all arrive for Conversations In The City: The Corporate Edition, hosted by First Love City Church.
Set inside the Methodist Church Ghana Conference Office complex in the capital’s bustling heart, the event promises more than a typical church service. It is designed as a social and spiritual experience where modern city life meets Christian fellowship in a relaxed atmosphere.
A Growing Space for Faith and Professional Life
In Ghana, faith remains deeply woven into everyday life, including business and professional culture.
Across Accra, many young professionals are increasingly seeking spaces where discussions about success also include purpose, ethics, mental well-being, and spirituality. Events like Conversations In The City reflect this evolving urban culture.
Led by Bishop Joshua Dag Heward-Mills, a well-known Ghanaian pastor and author with a large international following, the gathering focuses on how spiritual values can shape careers and personal growth.
The “Corporate Edition” places special attention on workplace challenges, leadership, networking, and navigating modern professional life without losing personal conviction.
For international visitors, the event offers a glimpse into Ghana’s vibrant Christian culture, where worship often blends music, motivational speaking, community interaction, and celebration into one energetic experience.

What Guests Can Expect
Visitors can expect an atmosphere that feels warm and welcoming rather than formal. Conversations begin long before the main session starts as attendees mingle, reconnect, and meet new people from different industries. Contemporary gospel music, lively audience interactions, and moments of prayer create an environment that feels distinctly Ghanaian—spirited, expressive, and communal.
The evening also offers opportunities for networking among entrepreneurs, creatives, corporate workers, and young professionals. Many attendees come not only for spiritual encouragement but also to build meaningful social and professional connections.
Why the Event Matters
For locals, Conversations In The City offers a refreshing break from the fast pace of urban life while strengthening community ties. For tourists, it opens a window into the social heartbeat of Accra beyond beaches and nightlife.
Events like this reveal how Ghana’s cities continue to balance tradition, spirituality, and modern ambition in ways that feel uniquely alive. Whether attending for inspiration, fellowship, or cultural curiosity, guests are likely to leave with more than they expected.
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