The Centre for National Culture and the Ghana Tourism Authority, as part of Ghana Heritage Month 2026, partnered with renowned international photographer Thomas Fynn to mount the “Black Star Experience Exhibition” at the Cape Coast Castle.
The event, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the National Commission on Culture, showcased photographs spanning from Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to the current president, John Dramani Mahama. The exhibition also featured images of cultural beliefs, rites of passage, festivals, funeral traditions, cuisine, and other aspects of Ghanaian heritage.
In his opening remarks, Ebenezer Kofi Ntim, Central Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture, explained that the CNC is mandated to develop the cultural heritage of the region. He said this led to the collaboration with Thomas Fynn, who has long used his camera to project Ghana’s rich culture.
Ntim added that beyond the exhibition, other programs lined up for Ghana Month include institutional dialogues on promoting culture, exhibitions of traditional cuisine, and musical dance displays. He emphasized the importance of photography in cultural development, noting that the CNC has trained individuals who now serve in key roles, including the current photographer of the Central Regional Minister.
Charles Buabeng, Central Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority, praised Fynn’s involvement, noting that his copyrighted photographs capture historic events and cultural activities that allow present and future generations to connect with Ghana’s heritage. Clifford Eshun, Central Regional Manager of the Museums and Monument Board, highlighted the significance of hosting the exhibition at Cape Coast Castle, once a slave trading post, as a way to preserve and educate future generations about Ghana’s history.
Thomas Fynn, who mounted the exhibition, said he accepted the CNC’s invitation as a national call to promote and preserve Ghana’s cultural heritage. He described this year’s exhibition as unique, marking his 50th year in photography. Apart from archival images of Kwame Nkrumah, all the photographs displayed were his own, taken both in Ghana and abroad. He emphasized that a good picture is worth more than a thousand words and has dedicated five decades to projecting Ghana’s culture, politics, and sports.
Responding to calls for national recognition, Fynn revealed that while he has not been officially honored in Ghana, he received the “World Master of Art and Culture Award” in South Korea in 2010. He welcomed calls for recognition, noting that honoring pioneers motivates younger photographers. He urged beginners to treat photography not as a pastime but as a medium of education for future generations.
Cape Coast Mayor George Justice Arthur, delivering the keynote address on behalf of President Mahama, commended the choice of Cape Coast Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as the venue. He said the “Black Star Experience” reminds citizens of the ordeals of slavery and the nation’s journey to independence in 1957.
He described Cape Coast as the citadel of tourism and cradle of politics in Ghana, citing the Aborigines Rights Protection Society formed in 1897 and its leaders such as John Mensah Sarbah, Jacob Wilson Sey, J.E. Casely Hayford, and Kobena Sekyi, who opposed colonial land policies. Arthur also listed key tourist sites in Cape Coast, including the Oguaa Fetu Festival, London Bridge, Fosu Lagoon, John Evans Atta Mills Library, Queen Victoria Park, and Nana Mbrah IV monument. He pledged to make Cape Coast attractive to foreign investment through policies promoting sanitation, local economic development, and maintenance of tourist sites.
President Mahama, in his remarks, praised Thomas Fynn for using photography to highlight Ghana’s cultural diversity, natural beauty, and resilience. The opening ceremony was attended by notable figures such as former Cape Coast North MP Barbara Asher Eyisi and Samuel Annobil of the Central Region Development Commission, who suggested ways to restore Cape Coast’s position as Ghana’s leading tourist destination.
