After the success of “Festival of India – Maitri” in 2017 in Ghana, the High Commission of India in Accra organized “Freedom 70” from 2017 to 2018 to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage, which was a great initiative taken by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India to help us for projecting India’s diverse and vivid image abroad.
“Freedom 70” celebrations were inaugurated in Lomé, Togo at the ‘Grand Rex’ on 10th of August 2017 with the performance of Odissi Dance group led by Mrs. Anita Babu. Thereafter group performed at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on 12th of August at ‘Hall of CENASA’.
The group traveled to Ghana and had a performance on the eve of 14th August 2017 at the National Theatre, Accra, Ghana. The event was inaugurated with the lighting up of the lamp by Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs Shri M.J. Akbar and Ghanaian Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Culture & Creative Arts
Mrs. Catherine Afeku.
The group had also performed at the Independence Day Reception in the evening at India House and at
Ho Technical University which is in the Volta region of Ghana on the 16th August, 2017.
In continuation to that a Kathak Classical Dance group led by Mrs. Moumala Nayak arrived at Ghana and performed at DPS International, Tema, Ghana on 25th January 2018 on the eve of Republic day of India.
They had also performed on the morning of 26th January 2018 after the Flag Hosting ceremony at India House. Indian community & Children from various schools viz DPSI, AL-Rayan, Lincoln community school etc also participated in the event.
Mrs. Moumala Nayak and her group later performed in the evening of 26th January 2018 at National Theatre, Accra, Ghana. Their dance performances included Rudraksh, Shudh, Nirtta, Dadra, Shivahwan, Chaturang, Thumri, Dashaavtaar & Tarannum. The event was attended by more than 1200 people from diplomatic corps, prominent Indian community including members of the Indian associations/societies and mostly by Ghanaians.
After the performances in Accra, Ghana the group traveled to Sierra Leone and performed at Radisson Blu Hotel in Free Town, Sierra Leone on the evening of 28th January 2018. The Chief Guest for the event was the Minister of Tourism, Govt. of Sierra Leone. The local artists and members of Indian community also performed in the same event. The event was highly appreciated by the Chief Guest, diplomatic corps, local nationals and others from the India community.
The success of the “Freedom 70” can be attributed to the exemplary support by the Ministry of Culture and Sangeet Natak Academy (SNA) and also to large scale pre-publicity to the events. We also received full cooperation from the Ghanaian Ministry of Culture and Government organizations. ‘Freedom 70’ celebration has helped us in maintaining the momentum for promoting the Indian culture in Ghana, which was generated by holding the ‘Festival of India-Maitri’ last year.
