All about Ghana
Geographic location
Ghana is a West African country that shares borders with Togo (to the east), Côte d’Ivoire (to the west) and Burkina Faso (to the north). At the southern border is the north-easternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, the part often referred to as the Gulf of Guinea. English is the official language, and the unit of currency is the Ghana Cedi. Ghana is strategically positioned both close to the equator and on the Greenwich Meridian and the time zone is the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Ghana’s climate is as tropical as it can get, and the weather is nice all year round.
Ghana’s capital city is Accra. It is the landing space of all international flights, and it is from Accra that all international participants will travel by bus to Cape Coast (the conference venue), about 147 Km (2 and a half to 3 hours’ drive).
Ghana, the first self-governing country on the African continent under Kwame Nkrumah in 1957, is popular as a tourist destination for many reasons. In Cape Coast alone, where the conference is proposed to take place, there’s a rich variety of booming musical cultures, the popular Kakum National Park and canopy walk, adinkra symbols carving and paintings, historical edifices some of which have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites (e.g. the Cape Coast Castle), the celebration of the Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST), the celebration of the Fetu festival, the site of the first colonial castles and castle schools, the fishing port, the traditional chief paramountcy, and the legendary singing fishermen, just to name a few. The University of Cape Coast is one of the rare Universities that overlook the Ocean.
All about Cape Coast
Beyond the confines of the university, where the conference will be held, Cape Coast plays host to many tourists annually who visit the historical Cape Coast and (UNESCO world heritage site) Elmina castles, the Kakum National Park/canopy walkway, partake in emancipation and PANAFEST activities, observe the fascinating artisanal singing-fishermenand engage in the rich tapestry of cultural activities offered by numerous cultural groups.
Personal safety
Ghana is a friendly and welcoming country and crime is relatively low. As in most places, protect your valuables from petty theft and pickpockets, and there are often persistent touts around the entries to some of the major tourism venues.