… AI Processing AI systems manipulate symbols and patterns without conscious awareness.UNESCO describes AI systems as systems that process data and information in ways that “resemble intelligent behaviour.” Notice the wording: AI resembles intelligence; it is not declared to posses …
… Delegates pledged to support cultural restoration and preservation initiatives while strengthening cooperation within UNESCO and other international bodies to facilitate the return of cultural heritage. …
… Ms Lydia Arthur Brito, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, speaking on behalf of UNESCO Director-General Professor Khaled El Anany, commended Ghana for providing leadership on the reparatory justice agenda and for hosting the conference. …
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on major international institutions, including the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union, to actively support the global push for reparatory justice, describing it as a necessary step in addressing the historical legacy of the tr …
… The assembly has also partnered with UNESCO, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Kofi Annan ICT Centre to provide skills training for young people, especially girls. …
… From importing solutions to producing them The Head of Office and Country Representative for UNESCO in Ghana, Edmond Moukala, described the Fund as a vehicle for Ghana’s “intellectual independence.” He argued that for nations to achieve genuine sovereignty in the modern era, they …
… Appiah Amfo noted that although Africa is home to more than 2,000 living languages spoken by over 1.4 billion people, a recent UNESCO report described African languages as a “blind spot in AI” because they remain significantly underrepresented in the datasets used to train large …
… Pro Opoku-Agyemang highlighted achievements such as the recognition and inclusion of Ghana’s Kente and Highlife on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, stressing that “history is indispensable to a nation’s identity and future.” “These achievements remind …
… Also speaking at the event, the Head of the UNESCO Office in Accra, Edmond Moukala, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to safeguarding press freedom worldwide. …
Ghanaian Presidential Staffer and highlife legend Rex Omar will participate as a panellist at the second World Music and Tourism Festival in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, scheduled for October 8–10, 2026, under the theme "Tourism and Music: Building Bridges Between Peoples." He will speak on an opening panel about turning living cultural heritage into sustainable tourism experiences.
Ghanaian Presidential Staffer and highlife legend Rex Omar will participate as a panellist at the second World Music and Tourism Festival in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, scheduled for October 8–10, 2026, under the theme "Tourism and Music: Building Bridges Between Peoples." He will speak on an opening panel about turning living cultural heritage into sustainable tourism experiences.
James Aboagye argues that Ghana's film-training institutions must treat AI literacy as integral to modern film education, as AI becomes part of the filmmaking process. UNESCO has called for education systems to develop human capacity around generative AI while keeping human agency, ethics, safety and equity at the centre.
Latif Abubakar's 21st production, "The Darkest Chapter," is inspired by President John Dramani Mahama's testimony before the UN General Assembly, which voted to declare the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement the gravest crime against humanity. The production is a collaboration between Globe Productions, the National Theatre, UNESCO, and the Ministries of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, and Foreign Affairs.
Pope Leo XIV opened a state visit to France by warning that a "paradise of machines" risks undermining humanity amid concerns about artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and threats to human life. He reaffirmed Vatican opposition to nuclear deterrence, stating peace must be built through dialogue and justice rather than balance of power.
The 11th edition of the Black Star International Film Festival will run from 24–27 September 2026 in Kumasi, featuring films and industry sessions from 12 countries under the theme "Film & Global Culture: The New Wave of African Cinema."
Veteran playwright Latif Abubakar has created "The Darkest Chapter," a musical dance theatrical production inspired by President Mahama and Foreign Minister Ablakwa's testimony at the UN General Assembly, where Ghana led a resolution (voted 123-3) declaring the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and chattel enslavement the gravest crime against humanity.
The article argues that education systems should be judged by how effectively they prevent disadvantage from becoming destiny, and that transition from basic to secondary education is a critical point where many young people fall through institutional cracks. It notes UNESCO estimates 251 million children and young people remain out of school globally, and calls for African education systems to become more equitable and capable of ensuring vulnerable learners develop competencies for meaningful participation in society and the economy.
A Joy Online opinion piece argues that African societies repeatedly emphasize the continent's deficits and external dependencies, risking that young people internalize poverty and lack as identity rather than circumstance. The author contends that this narrative neglects to teach African youth what Africa can become, positioning solutions as arriving from elsewhere rather than being built locally.
JustED Foundation's assessment found that while school enrollment is high in communities like Achinakrom and Donyina (Ashanti Region) and Akurafu (Western North Region), access to reading materials remains a major challenge, with some schools lacking libraries and adequate resources for teaching.
The 2026 Africa Tourism Leadership Forum opened in Polokwane with cultural performances and exhibitions showcasing African tourism destinations and investment opportunities. Delegates from about 32 countries are attending, providing international exposure for the Limpopo province.
Ghana's Right to Information Commission has announced a month-long programme for September 2026 to mark RTI Month, focusing on tackling information disorder and promoting access to credible information in the digital environment under the theme "Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age."
Education is presented as the most powerful tool for transforming individuals, communities, and nations, bridging poverty and prosperity. The article argues that lowering educational standards and permitting examination malpractice have devastating consequences, as poorly trained professionals in key sectors compromise societal wellbeing and national development.
Accra hosted the GEF Global Business Forum, convening business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and diplomats to advance trade, investment and cross-border partnerships. The forum connected businesses with investors and markets, and generated commitments including sponsored participation for entrepreneurs at the Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 in Cairo.
Nana Adwoa Tutuwaa, founder of Nhyiramma Foundation, was honoured as Global Humanitarian of the Year 2026 at the 5th Global Women Leadership Summit & Awards. Since 2014, her foundation has provided boreholes, educational support, healthcare assistance, and economic empowerment programmes in deprived communities in Ghana's Eastern Region, including microloans to 250 women.
The British Council Ghana funded two Ghanaian creatives—a fashion entrepreneur and a writer—to participate in prestigious cultural opportunities in the United Kingdom in August 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana-UK cultural relations and showcase Ghana's creative sector globally.
Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr told the Ghana Journalists Association that media must prioritise determining what the public needs to know over maximising attention through controversy and sensationalism. He stressed that accuracy and professional judgment should not be sacrificed for speed, and that journalism's central challenge in today's environment is verifying truth amid information overload.
Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association, called on journalists to prioritize truth and accuracy over speed and popularity, stressing that success should be measured by story credibility rather than audience size. Speaking at the GJA's 77th anniversary symposium, he emphasized that press freedom must be accompanied by responsibility, and that media credibility depends on accuracy, fairness, independence, accountability and respect for individual rights.
At the Ghana Journalists Association's 77th anniversary symposium, UNESCO's representative to Ghana stated that a free and independent press is essential—not optional—for nation-building and democracy. He highlighted the media's historical role in Ghana's independence struggle, democratic consolidation, election monitoring, corruption exposure, and accountability of public officials.
Nineteen months into the NDC government's term, Ghana's tourism sector shows a paradox: international arrivals rose from 1.29 million in 2024 to 1.31 million in 2025, but tourism receipts fell sharply from about $4.82 billion to $4.34 billion, with average visitor spending dropping from roughly $3,743 to $3,320. The article critiques the government's tourism initiatives as heavy on promises and activity but light on measurable policy delivery.
The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition has organized District Accountability Dialogues in two Ahafo Region districts to promote transparent and equitable education financing for girls and children with disabilities, bringing together local stakeholders to inspect fund allocation and advocate for stronger tracking of education money.
Ghana has secured a $4.5 million five-year Korea-Ghana Heritage Project (2026–2030) to strengthen protection of its forts and castles from climate impacts including coastal erosion, flooding, and structural instability. The initiative will initially focus on six heritage sites in the Greater Accra Region and establish scientific climate-risk assessment and monitoring systems alongside national conservation policies.
The Ministry of Health is developing a comprehensive National AI Health Policy and Guidelines to provide a legal, ethical and operational framework for safe and equitable adoption of AI across Ghana's healthcare system. The policy aims to strengthen governance, data protection, digital infrastructure, workforce readiness and regulatory oversight to ensure AI supports improved healthcare delivery while safeguarding patient rights.
Ghana's "Highlife to the World: Black Star Experience 2027" campaign was officially launched in Barcelona on 2 August 2026, marking the start of a global initiative to promote the country's iconic music genre ahead of its 70th anniversary celebrations. The campaign will feature workshops, masterclasses and concerts across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The Ghana Education Trust Fund and UNESCO have signed a Letter of Intent to develop digital and artificial intelligence competencies across Ghana's Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions, aimed at equipping young Ghanaians with skills for a technology-driven economy.
Ghana has inaugurated the General Assembly of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, the country's highest decision-making body for guiding national engagement with UNESCO, as part of implementing the Ghana Commission for UNESCO Act 2023. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu highlighted the Assembly's role in the Commission's governance and noted members may represent Ghana at international engagements including meetings at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
Leading academics have called for postgraduate training in Ghana to shift from traditional thesis writing towards research delivering practical solutions to socio-economic challenges such as youth unemployment, climate change, and economic pressures. They emphasized the need for higher education to move away from disciplinary silos and foster interdisciplinary research with industry links.
A national study presented in Accra on 28 July 2026 found widespread sexual harassment and discrimination against young women in Ghana's creative sector. The Behind the Scenes project, led by researchers at the University of Cape Coast with support from the International Center for Research on Women and the Mastercard Foundation, called for safer workplaces and stronger gender equity measures.
Ambassador Johanna Swaniker, founder of Tech for Girls, has called for increased financial and institutional support to expand the programme that trains young women aged 18–35 in coding and digital technology, citing funding as the biggest challenge to scaling the initiative despite growing demand.
Foreign diplomats, a UNESCO official, and students toured historic forts and landmarks in Ahanta West on July 26, 2026, during the month-long Ahanta Heritage Month celebrations. The tour, organized by the Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, visited Fort Gross Friedrichsburg, Cape Three Points, and Fort Batenstein in Butre.
Egypt plans to sign seven Memoranda of Understanding with Ghana covering education, technology, pharmaceuticals, cybersecurity, and cultural heritage restoration to deepen bilateral cooperation. The agreements are part of preparations to celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations next year and include plans to revive the Ghana-Egypt Joint Commission, which has not met for about three decades.