Northern Ghana has opened its doors to visitors from across the continent and the diaspora as the Cultural Oneness Festival returns with a renewed call for unity, heritage preservation, and economic empowerment.
Held this year in Tamale, the annual festival brings together local communities, traditional leaders, and international guests to celebrate the region’s deep cultural roots. Organisers say the gathering is more than a cultural showcase. They see it as a bridge connecting Africans everywhere to a shared past and a collective future.
Chief Martin Glenn, president of the festival, said the event was built on the idea that Africans, no matter where they live, are part of the same family.
“This is a platform that brings us together as brothers and sisters,” he said, adding that the festival also aims to create lasting economic opportunities for young people and communities across the continent.
This year’s edition began with a cultural tour tracing the path of the transatlantic slave trade. Travellers started in Accra and moved north to historic sites such as Salaga, once home to major slave camps, before heading to Cape Coast. Organisers say the journey helps visitors confront a painful past while creating space for reflection, healing, and connection.
The formal opening took place on December 11 with a colourful durbar of chiefs and kings from across Northern Ghana. The ceremony marked not just the start of the festival but also the traditional leaders’ commitment to strengthening unity among the region’s diverse ethnic groups.
On December 12, attention turned to young people. A youth empowerment seminar, organised with the University for Development Studies, brought together university students for practical sessions on entrepreneurship. The goal, organisers said, is to help young people gain the skills needed to build businesses and drive local development.
The celebrations continue on December 13 with the annual “Palace Experience,” which this year takes participants to Bupe. The visit gives diasporans and other guests the rare opportunity to witness royal customs firsthand and learn directly from custodians of Northern Ghana’s history.
Support for the festival has also come from beyond Ghana’s borders. His Royal Majesty Nabongo Peter Mumia II of the Wanga Kingdom described the gathering as an important step toward bringing the Northern diaspora together. He said the festival aligns with the broader “Taste of Africa” vision, which promotes cultural and political collaboration across the continent.
The king said the long-term plan is to extend the festival’s activities to other African countries so that traditional leaders who are unable to attend in Ghana can take part elsewhere. He believes that deepening these ties can help African kingdoms and cultures work together more effectively.
He also encouraged Ghanaians, especially those who may not have heard about the event earlier, to join the celebrations. He noted that involving young people in the festival’s planning and activities sends a powerful message about their role in shaping Africa’s future.
By combining history, culture, youth development, and continental dialogue, the Cultural Oneness Festival has positioned itself as a gathering point for Africans at home and abroad. For its organisers and supporters, the event is helping to build connections across borders while opening new conversations about unity, identity, and progress.
