Accra turned into a stage for cultural exchange as the city hosted Professor Roy Horovitz, a renowned Israeli actor, director, and Head of the Theatre Department at Bar-Ilan University, during his first-ever visit to the country.

The week-long visit, under the auspices of the Embassy of Israel in Ghana held from 25–29 January 2026, was marked by an intensive programme of academic engagement, cultural exchange, and public dialogue, highlighting the growing collaboration between Israel and Ghana in the arts.

Prof Horovitz led two-part theatre workshops at the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana and the National Theatre of Ghana - two of Accra’s most important cultural institutions. Each workshop comprised a formal lecture and a hands-on practical session, engaging more than 100 students in total.

Under the theme “Welcome to Theatreland – The Theatrical Scene in Israel Today,” Prof Horovitz introduced participants to Israel’s vibrant theatre culture, often described as a creative powerhouse with nightly productions in Tel Aviv.

The sessions featured video excerpts from Israeli plays, text readings with students, warm-up exercises, interactive quizzes, and open discussions, creating an energetic and immersive learning environment.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

A particularly moving moment during the visit of Prof Horovitz occurred on 27 January 2026, during the International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration.

The ceremony, jointly organised by the Embassy of Israel in Ghana, the German Embassy and the United Nations, was held at the residence of the German Ambassador and attended by over 300 guests from diverse backgrounds including teachers and students from Accra Girls’ Senior High School, Achimota School as well as students from the Department of History and Religion of the University of Ghana.

In addition to official remarks, a panel discussion featured a Ghanaian professor of Holocaust Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST the only university in Ghana that undertakes Holocaust Studies), Prof Samuel Adu Gyamfi and Prof Horovitz, who spoke on “the Holocaust in our lives and in Israeli theatre.”

The discussion was led by Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Gilad. The solemn event included Barbra Streisand’s rendition of “Our Fathers, Our Kings,” music from Schindler’s List, and a Vivaldi composition, performed by the Accra City Singers and the International Strings Quartet, leaving a deep emotional impact on the audience.

Building bridges through culture
Cultural dialogue continued at a dinner hosted at the Israeli Ambassador’s residence, attended by Prof Horovitz and leading figures from Ghana’s theatre community, including actors, directors and producers.

Participants included James Ebo Whyte, Latif Abubakar, Akofa Edjeani-Asiedu, Adjetey Anang, Henry Herbert Malm among others. Conversations focused on Israeli satirical theatre and explored opportunities for future artistic collaboration between the two countries. The Ghanaian theatre professionals relished the moment spent with Prof Horovitz and expressed their willingness to working and collaborating with their Israeli counterparts.

“We are already discussing [the possibility] of staging an Israeli play at the University of Ghana. May be co-directing with someone from the faculty or sending people from here [Ghana] to experience the very rich diverse theatre that we have. So as far as cultural exchange is concerned, the sky is the limit,” Prof Horovitz said. “I can already see the common grounds that we share the same artistic views People are warm and equipped with great sense of humor. It’s been a wonderful beginning of a wonderful friendship” he added.

The Public Diplomacy & Culture attaché at the Embassy of Israel in Ghana, Mrs Nitza Gilad thanked the various stakeholders for their knowledge-sharing sessions and called for a continuous collaboration between Israel and Ghanaian theatre professionals.

“We would like to thank the Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, Dr Sylvanus Kwashie Kuwor, and the Acting Director of the National Theatre, Mr Henry Herbert Malm, for their warm collaboration. We also convey our deep appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel for its invaluable funding and unwavering support,” Mrs Gilad added.

Prof Roy Horovitz’s visit underscored the power of theatre and culture as bridges between nations, leaving a lasting impression on Ghana’s academic and artistic communities, and opening new pathways for cultural cooperation between Ghana and Israel.