By Iddi Yire
Accra, June 20, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, June 19, led Heads of State and Governments, traditional leaders, members of the African diaspora, and international delegates at Christiansborg Castle in Osu, Accra, for the historic joint commemoration of Juneteenth by Africa and the United States.
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.
It marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
The observance in Accra marked the first time the event has been commemorated outside the United States.
The ceremony brought together an array of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados, African and Caribbean leaders, traditional authorities, and members of the global African diaspora.
Activities at the event included a reenactment of the transatlantic slave trade by the School of Performing Arts of the University of Ghana, as well as a wreath-laying ceremony.
President Mahama laid the first wreath on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana, while Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley laid the second one on behalf of the Government and People of Barbados, CARICOM and Africans in the diaspora.
Dr Nii Odaifio Welentsi III, the President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs and the Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area laid a wreath on behalf of African traditional rulers; while Dr Julius Winston Garvey, Founder of Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, laid a wreath on behalf of diaspora Africans.
In attendance at the Castle event was Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, the President of the National House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area.
Reflecting on the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, President Mahama paid tribute to the millions of Africans who endured enslavement, displacement, and the loss of identity, while honouring the resilience, courage, and enduring spirit of their descendants across the world.
He said the commemoration followed the successful conclusion of the Next Steps High-Level Consultative Conference on Reparatory Justice, where participants adopted an outcome document to guide future international cooperation on reparatory justice, historical remembrance, and restitution.
The President stressed that the quest for justice extended beyond reparations and the return of cultural artefacts, calling for a more equitable and inclusive global order that provides opportunity, dignity, and fairness for all people.
Reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to the African diaspora, he highlighted policies facilitating reconnection with the continent, including pathways for residence and expanded visa-free travel.
“Ghana is your home. You are always welcome in the motherland,” he said.
President Mahama added that Ghana had enacted legislation to allow people of African descent to seek residence in the country and noted ongoing efforts to extend visa-free travel arrangements across Africa and to CARICOM states.
Prime Minister Mottley, in her remarks, described the commemoration and the reparatory justice conference as deeply significant, recalling the 1661 Slave Code enacted in Barbados, which dehumanised Africans.
“That wrong was known then. It must be answered now,” she said, stressing the need for repair, healing, and unity.
She noted that Ghana, which called the world to freedom decades ago, was once again leading efforts to ensure dignity, prosperity, and peace for Africans and their descendants.
The Accra Summit, which was hosted by President Mahama, sought to reinforce the historic step taken by the international community to recognise the enduring legacy and global consequences of the enslavement of Africans and the racialised chattel enslavement of Africans.
It brought together world leaders, diplomats, academia, development partners, civil society leaders, and representatives of the global African diaspora from over 80 countries.
Among the world leaders who attended the Accra Summit were President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, and the Prime Minister of Barbados.
Others were Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua, President of São Tomé and Príncipe, Carlos Vila Nova and the Speaker of the Algerian Parliament, Mr Azouz Nasri.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah