*Assin Manso, Central Region – August 1st, 2025*
The historic town of Assin Manso, home to the “Last Bath” site of enslaved Africans, became a sacred ground for reflection, reconnection, and resistance as it hosted the *Grand Durbar of Chiefs and People* on *Friday, August 1st, 2025. This event marked the climax of the **PANAFEST/Emancipation Day 2025* celebrations, held under the compelling theme:
*“Let Us Speak of Reparative Justice – Pan-African Artistic Activism.”*
### A Symbolic and Cultural Pilgrimage
Hundreds of people, including traditional leaders, diaspora returnees, government officials, and cultural activists, gathered to honor the memory of those who were forcibly taken from African soil and to call for justice, healing, and reparations. The durbar served as the emotional and symbolic peak of a week-long journey through memory and history, with previous commemorative stops in Tamale, Salaga, Bono Manso, Cape Coast, and Elmina.
### Emancipation Through Art and Ceremony
The durbar began with a colorful procession of chiefs in full regalia, drumming and dancing that echoed ancestral rhythms, and cultural displays that reaffirmed Ghana’s Pan-African spirit. Key highlights included:
* *Ministerial Address*: Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, emphasized the urgent need to go beyond remembrance to demand reparative justice for historical injustices rooted in slavery and colonialism.
* *GTA CEO Remarks*: Madam Maame Efua Houadjeto, CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, reaffirmed the country’s role in promoting heritage tourism as a platform for truth-telling and reconciliation, stressing that “Artistic activism must lead the way in healing our wounds and restoring our dignity.”
* *Diaspora Engagement: Returnees from the Caribbean, North America, and Europe participated in powerful symbolic rituals, including the *”Last Bath” reenactment** and *Diaspora Naming Ceremonies*, as part of the ongoing “Door of Return” initiative.
### Cultural Expressions of Resistance and Unity
The durbar also featured dramatic performances, spoken word tributes, and art installations focused on themes of identity, trauma, and resistance. Artists used their work to confront the legacies of enslavement and call for structural redress and unity among African descendants worldwide.
### A Call to Action
This year’s event was more than ceremonial—it was a bold call to the global African community to confront the unfinished business of justice. From reparations for slavery to addressing present-day systemic inequalities, speakers and performers used the platform to demand a just and equitable future rooted in historical truth.
### *In Summary*
The *Grand Durbar at Assin Manso on August 1st, 2025, was a deeply moving and empowering expression of remembrance and resistance. Under the banner of **Pan-African Artistic Activism*, it reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to preserving memory, promoting healing, and championing reparative justice across the African world.
