From April 20 – 22, key stakeholders in the African and European cultural and creative industries (CCIs) convened in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire for the Notre Futur Forum organized by Institut Français Paris and the Embassy of France in Cote d’Ivoire.  The conference, themed “Inheriting the Future: Enhancing the Diversity of Heritage to Create a Common Future”, provided a platform to interrogate the role of the CCIs in interpreting collective memories and acting as a catalyst for heritage preservation.

Ghana was proudly represented by outstanding players in various sectors of the industry. They included Elisabeth Sutherland, founder of Terra Alta; William Senyo, CEO of Impact Hub Accra, Awura Abena Agyeman & Angorkor Nai-Kwade, founders of WEAR Ghana; Selasie Awity, founder of Dobiison; Kofi Boachie-Ansah, multi-disciplinary artists & intellectual property rights specialist; Francis Kwarayire, Ashanti regional director of the Ghana Museum and Monuments Board, Elizabeth Johnson, Manager of Pa Gya! Literary Festival; Joewackle J. Kusi, writer, filmmaker & audio content creator; Nana Akosua Hanson, writer and arts activist.

Over the period, the delegation participated in a series of events curated to elicit thought-provoking conversations while demonstrating the depth and richness of African creativity and intellect. On the program was a panel discussion on “How to create with the colonial imprint?” featuring Ghana’s Akosua Hanson alongside Liz Gomis, secretary general of Maison des Mondes Africains; writer and poet, Tanella Boni; philosopher and political scientist, Seloua Luste Boulbina and writer, GauZ.

Other activities included workshops, musical performances, cocktails, and fashion shows, presenting an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge, network, and forge potential partnerships with stakeholders across the CCI landscape. 

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