Accra, Sept. 18, GNA- The National Conference on Historic Slave Traffic scheduled for next month, was launched in Accra on Thursday with a call on the government not to treat the research on "Slave Route Project" as an academic or witch-hunting exercise.
Professor James Anquandah, the Chairman of the Historic Slave Traffic Committee, said the project should rather be a practical and positive one that should unite the globe.
He said the slave trade, the sites and monuments associated with the project served as tourism attraction and stressed the need for Ghana to protect, preserve and renovate its slave routes to foster cultural tourism.
The Conference, slated from November 3 to 5 in Accra is aimed at ascertaining the public knowledge of the historic slave traffic and future research into unknown areas.
It will also prepare the grounds well enough to enable Ghana host a successful international conference in July 2004.
Prof. Anquandah said tourism constitute economic resources that could alleviate poverty, create employment, increase foreign currency holdings, resolve problems of rural degradation and encourage socio-cultural development of local communities.
He said different aspects of tourism such as business, safari, nature, recreational and sport-centred tourism attract between 700 and 800 million people worldwide every year.
Mr Jake O. Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City, said the Slave Route Project seeks to stimulate concerted international action and support for the restoration and promotion of the tangible and intangible heritage handed down by the activity.
He said the National Slave Route Project Committee will develop a vibrant travel industry that would move both domestic and international travellers to visit Ghana's slave heritage sites. The Minister said he hopes that the work of the committee will result in the production of a core curriculum for the Ministry of Education to apply at the basic and tertiary schools levels. 18 Sept. 03
