South African Week celebration launched in Ghana

South Africa's Department of Arts and Culture in collaboration with the South African High Commission and Ghana's Ministry of Tourism, Arts and culture today, October 15, 2018, launched the South African week celebration in Ghana.

The programme, is to be a week-long showcase of cultural diversity of the country on the southernmost tip of the African continent.

The South African delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Ms. Maggie Makhotso Sotyu will showcase some artistic features from the South African soil from Tuesday, October 16th through to Saturday, October 19th, 2018 at various centers in the country.

This on record is the very first time Ghana will play host to such an event from her development partner, South Africa.

According to the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture from South Africa, the week-long event forms part of South Africa's efforts to strengthen her bilateral relations with Ghana as well as other African Nations and a means to wipe the Xenophobic attribute attached to her country.

She added that this initiative is aimed at promoting the established African Union Agenda for the next 50 years, which calls for African unity through cultural interactions

Ms. Maggie Makhotso Sotyu who formerly occupied the position of the Head of the Police department in South Africa further added that, the event will form part of the centenary celebration of the South African anti-apartheid revolutionary leaders Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu through "music, dance, fashion and design, craft and various cultural expressions"

Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Tourism, Dr. Idi Biblim, also touched on the historical path Ghana shares with her development partner South Africa and the need for Ghanaians to embrace wholly the benefits of this week-long event.

Dr. Ziblim disclosed that Ghana is to reciprocate this initiative but the date has not been decided yet.

The short ceremony witnessed a performance by a South African based Afro soul singer Berita.

The activities to be promoted as part of the event includes; an exhibition on the 19th October at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), a film screening the 17th October also at AICC, 'Dance Extravaganza' at the National Theatre on 18th October and finally climaxed with a closing concert which would feature performances from South Africa's award winning act, Mafikizolo and Ghanaian singer Sherifa Gunu.

In attendance were members of the press from both Ghana and South Africa, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr. Idi Ziblim, Deputy Minister of the Department of Arts and Culture in South Africa, Ms. Maggie Makhotso Sotyu as well as the South African High commissioner to Ghana, Lulu Lulama Xingwana amongst several others.