The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has disclosed that students from the University of Ghana’s School of Performing Arts have received international invitations following their reenactment of the transatlantic slave trade during the Juneteenth commemoration in Accra.
The performance, staged at the historic Christiansborg Castle, formed part of the “Next Steps Conference” on reparatory justice and became a focal point of the high-level gathering of diplomats, policymakers, and heads of state. According to the Minister, the students have since attracted invitations from Barbados, Jamaica, and the United States, where their performance is expected to be showcased in future cultural and commemorative events.
The emotionally charged production depicted the brutal realities of slavery, featuring portrayals of enslaved Africans in shackles, slave masters, and the forced transportation of captives across the Atlantic. Staged within the very setting linked to colonial history, the performance evoked a strong emotional response from attendees as it recreated the suffering and trauma endured by enslaved Africans.
The long cast, also comprising five female students and one male performer, combined spoken word poetry with dramatic interpretation. Dressed in white with African flags as scarfs, their performance explored themes of displacement, identity, and historical memory. One of the central poetic motifs referenced the “big white stone,” symbolically representing colonial domination and the disruption of African societies.
The reenactment was met with praise from dignitaries present at the event, including President John Dramani Mahama, who reportedly described the performance as leaving him ‘speechless’ and a sobering reminder of the horrors endured by enslaved Africans. .
Speaking after the event, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa commended the students for their artistic excellence and emotional depth, describing the performance as one that has gained international recognition.
“I congratulate the University of Ghana’s School of Performing Arts for that masterful reenactment of the transatlantic enslavement at the Osu Castle during the Next Steps Juneteenth commemoration. Their brilliant performance is receiving wide international acclaim with invitations already pouring in from multiple countries including Barbados, Jamaica and the US” he said.
The performance formed part of the final day of the Next Steps Conference, which culminated in the adoption of the 46-point Accra Next Steps Commitment on Reparations. The framework outlines strategies for addressing the enduring legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, including calls for historical accountability, education, and reparative justice.
This follows the landmark adoption of resolution A/RES/80/250 declared the Transatlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime against humanity, garnering 123 votes in favour, while 52 abstained and three, including the United States voted against the resolution on March, 25, 2026.
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