GHANA is set to roll out the drums on Saturday, July 18, to launch the 2026 Emancipation Day celebrations, opening a two-week tribute to the strength of  Africans who survived the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, while strengthening ties with the  African diaspora.

The festivities begin with a Fitness Walk held simultaneously in Accra and Pikworo in the Upper East Region.

The programme, which was organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) on the theme: “Reconnecting Roots, Celebrating Freedom, Experience Ghana”, runs through August 1.

The celebrations will draw traditional authorities, diplomats, diaspora Africans, cultural practitioners, religious leaders, students and everyday Ghanaians into activities spanning Accra, Central Region and Upper East Region.

After the opening walk, a Durbar at the Pikworo Slave Camp follows on Tuesday, July 21. Thursday, July 23, brings a Tribute to Ancestors and Wreath-Laying Ceremony spread across three landmark sites in Accra —  W.E.B. Du Bois Centre, George Padmore Library, and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. (Read Film Fund alone won't transform industry — Mawuko Kuadzi)

The following week shifts the action to Assin Praso for a Durbar of Chiefs on Wednesday, July 29, before a Reverential Night at Cape Coast Castle on Friday, July 31. The event will include a candlelight procession, wreath laying, testimonies, spoken word, drama, a roll call of ancestors and the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The celebration will climax on Saturday, August 1, with the Emancipation Day Durbar at Assin Manso School Park.  The day’s activities include wreath laying on the graves of former enslaved Africans and a visit to Nonko Nsuo, the historic ‘Last Bath’ site where captives were once washed before being sold.

The Authority said the celebration formed part of Ghana's commitment to preserving its rich historical heritage, promoting cultural tourism and strengthening the bond between  Africa and its global diaspora.

The GTA has invited Ghanaians, members of the African diaspora, tourists, cultural organisations, traditional authorities, faith-based organisations, development partners and the media to participate in the celebrations.

According to the Authority, Emancipation Day would continue to represent the triumph of the human spirit over oppression and reinforce Ghana's position as a gateway for the global African family to reconnect with its roots, heritage and identity.