Ghana and China sign cultural agreement

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Oct. '99

The Ghana National Commission on Culture (NCC) and the Chinese Ministry of Culture on Monday signed documents in Accra for implementation of last phase of their cultural agreement running from 2000 to 2002.

The documents, which are part of a broader agreement signed in 1981, serve as a guide for cultural relations between the two countries and would be renewed after 2002.

Nana Akuoko Sarpong, NCC Chairman and Ms Meng Xiaosi, Chinese Vice Minister of Culture currently on a visit to Ghana, signed for their respective countries.

Nana Sarpong touched on similarities in the historical and cultural experiences of the two countries, saying these make relations between them significant.

He said China was able to rise from the lowest levels of development to become an important player in global political and economic affairs due to its long history of cultural practice.

This, he said, shows that every effort at national development should have a cultural base, adding that China's "surplus cultural knowledge", could be tapped for the development of Ghana's.

Ms Xiaosi said with peace and development as the major themes in a unipolar world, culture has become an important basis for development.

She stressed the need to seek a balance between culture and economic development, saying, equality should be the basis of development in the new century.

She called for a world free of racial and economic prejudice, adding, China is against "cultural chauvinism, plundering and hegemony. Diversity should be the basic form of cultural development in the world because the distinctive features of the cultures of various countries make the world's culture richer."

The minister presented 200,000 yuan (25,000 dollars) and other various gifts to the NCC and promised Chinese assistance to Ghana towards a modern National Art Gallery.

GRi../