Richmond American University London, in collaboration with its alumna Amma Prempeh, will bring Ghana’s rich kente culture to life on campus with a livestream from the Bonwire Kente Weaving Centre on March 30, 2026.

The event, scheduled from 12:30 to 13:30 GMT, ties into the Ghana Month celebrations. It will showcase traditional weaving at the Bonwire Kente Weaving Centre in Kumasi, widely regarded as the cradle of kente.

In a letter signed by Allison Cole-Stutz, Vice-President and Dean of Students, the university noted that the event will highlight kente culture through live weaving demonstrations from the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

“On behalf of Richmond American University London, we are delighted to work with Producer/Director/Journalist, Amma Prempeh who is also a Richmond alumna, to bring a better understanding of Kente culture to campus in London,” the letter indicates. 

During the livestream, an excerpt of Amma Prempeh’s kente culture documentary, The Importance of Kente to Ghanaians and Black Africans, will be shown. Historian Teacher Kantanka, also known as Osei Bonsu Safo Kantanka, will explain the history of kente, the various weaving styles, and the meanings behind selected cloth patterns and colours.

Amma Prempeh will therefore demonstrate the full process of kente production, from the thread stage to the loom stage, and the sewing of the different sections to form the final cloth. The programme will feature interviews, drone shots, and conclude with dancing and a tour of the Bonwire museum.

Organisers say there will be an opportunity for students of Richmond University to ask questions during the live session. Another highlight of the programme will be a cultural performance by students of Bonwire Senior High Technical School.

Kente remains one of Ghana’s most iconic cultural fabrics, originating from the Ashanti Kingdom and deeply embedded in the country’s heritage. Traditionally handwoven in strips and carefully stitched together, kente represents history, philosophy, ethics, and social values. Each pattern and colour carries symbolic meaning, often linked to proverbs, leadership, royalty, and community identity. Over the years, kente has transcended borders to become a global symbol of African pride and cultural expression.

In December 2024, UNESCO inscribed the craftsmanship of kente onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recognition honours the intricate handwoven fabric from the Asante and Ewe communities, highlighting its profound cultural significance, symbolic colours, and importance to Ghanaian identity.

On February 1, 2024, Ghana’s ‘Kente Culture Story Documentary Film’ by award-winning and BBC journalist Amma Prempeh premiered at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

The film, which delves into the intricate artistry, cultural significance, and global impact of kente cloth, made further inroads on the international scene on April 17, 2024 when the film’s director, Amma Prempeh, engaged in three meetings in Washington, DC.

She engaged with Ghana’s former Ambassador to the United States, Hajia Alima Mahama, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and students of Howard University to screen the kente documentary.

The film, solely funded by Amma, has also premiered at leading universities, including one of the world’s top institutions and a historic Black university in the United States within three months.

Amma Prempeh, an alumna of Richmond American University London, is a cultural advocate and filmmaker dedicated to promoting Ghanaian heritage, particularly kente. Through her work, she seeks to preserve indigenous knowledge and project African identity to global audiences.