Last PANAFEST of the millennium opens Saturday

By Kwame Boatey-Adjei

Accra (Greater Accra) 29 July ’99

PANAFEST '99, the fourth Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival, opens in Cape Coast on Saturday with an expected attendance of more than 5,000 participants, making it the biggest yet in the series which started in 1992.

Running from July 30 to August eight, the festival is under the theme: "The re-emergence of African civilisation: Uniting the African family: Youth - the agenda for the new millennium".

PANAFEST is a biennial cultural event dedicated to the enhancement of the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the development of Africa.

Being the last version before the next millennium, this year's festival assumes a broader dimension and, like the previous one, PANAFEST '97, it has been scheduled to coincide with another international event, emancipation Day.

Participants at PANAFEST '97 experienced a rare cultural treat when it clashed with the Oguaa Fetu Afahye, festival of the people of Cape Coast Traditional area, which is one of the PANAFEST venues together with Elmina and Accra.

Emancipation Day, which marks the abolition of chattel slavery in British colonies in 1834 and the Americas in 1865, occupies a place in the PANAFEST programme with a vigil at the Cape Coast Castle and the slave dungeons.

Another PANAFEST event brought on by the Emancipation Day celebrations is the international soccer match that pitches Jamaica's Reggae Boyz in separate duels with the Black Stars and Asante Kotoko.

PANAFEST '99 has also seen the highest list of sponsors, and the number keeps rising each day, as organisers never hesitate to impress upon individuals and institutions, the need to make it the greatest cultural event on the African continent.

The Chairman of the PANAFEST Foundation, Mr Kojo Yankah says funds accruing from the festival would be used to put up a PANAFEST.

Highlights of the eight-day festival include a grand durbar of African chiefs and people, a three-day Pan-African colloquium, on the festival's theme.

There would be special days for countries participating, a Women's Day, Visual Arts Exhibition and International Musical Concert.

More than 40 artistic groups and individuals from about 30 countries, including Ghana, the US, United Kingdom, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, Nigeria, Uganda, Gambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa are expected to perform at the festival.

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