The West Africa Music and Arts Festival (WAMAFEST) has officially launched in Accra, Ghana, drawing together leading music industry professionals and stakeholders from across West Africa.
The festival promises to be an exhilarating celebration of the region's rich cultural heritage and its global influence, culminating in a grand concert at the University of Ghana on Saturday, June 22.
Hosting WAMAFEST for the first time, Ghana adds this vibrant event to its growing list of international arts festivals, including the Chale Wote Street Art Festival, AfroFuture, and the Black Star Line Festival.
In his opening remarks, the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, emphasized the importance of collaboration among West African countries to preserve and promote their cultural heritage through music.
He stated, "Music knows no borders, and neither should our efforts to protect our heritage."
Prof Jasmine Young, Director of the Warner Music Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University, underscored the significance of sustaining the festival for future generations.
"WAMAFEST is not just about today; it’s an investment in our cultural future," she said.
Adding to the excitement of the festival, a Juneteenth Parade will take place over the weekend, celebrating freedom and promoting tourism and economic development in the subregion.
The West Africa Music and Arts Festival is part of the "Beyond the Return" campaign, a 10-year successor to the "Year of Return" campaign in 2019, which marked the 400th anniversary of the first recorded arrival of enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia, USA.
The launch event attracted notable attendees, including Ghana’s Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Andrew Agyapa Mercer; Second Lady, Samira Bawumia; CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman; and representatives from various West African countries.
Also in attendance were officials from Global A&R Warner Recorded Music, MUSIGA President Bessa Simons, HipHopPreneur and Marketing Strategist Professor Jasmine Young, alongside numerous music executives and artists such as Efya, Reggie Rockstone, and Trigmatic.
With the stage already set, WAMAFEST promises to be a blend of cultural pride and unity, resonating far beyond West Africa.
Latest Stories
-
We’ll establish fiscal council to rein in excessive borrowing – Finance Minister
46 seconds -
Mortuary workers issue fresh strike threat
5 mins -
‘Lapses in banking system are not unique’ – John Awuah on managing fraud in Ghana’s Banks
13 mins -
Bawumia confident of victory in 2024 election
47 mins -
Strengthening audit institutions essential for tackling fiscal mismanagement – Domelevo
57 mins -
Healthy Aging: The Role of the Gut Microbiome and How Diet Can Help
58 mins -
Seek medical care, diagnosis for breast cancer – Dr Abiti to women
1 hour -
Hardship: Men now collect marriage list from different families to get cheapest – Report
1 hour -
‘If you’re looking for trouble, you’ll get it,’ Falz tells VeryDarkMan
1 hour -
Paramount Chief of Avenor grateful to NPP, calls for completion of Agenda 111 project
2 hours -
Bawumia commissions ultramodern office complex for Ho Municipal Assembly
2 hours -
Bawumia declares NPP’s infrastructure record unmatched
2 hours -
Importers face duty on Electric Vehicles despite gov’t’s exemption promises
2 hours -
4 additional Democracy Hub protesters discharged
2 hours -
Election 2024: Alan Kyerematen lacks a message – Hassan Ayariga
2 hours