The Opoku Ware II Museum Receives the UNESCO Kente Collection: A Step towards Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Ghana

In a striking display of cultural preservation, the UNESCO office in Accra has overseen the remarkable donation of the UNESCO Kente Collection, featuring 51 rare pieces, to the Opoku Ware II Museum at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

This momentous occasion marks an essential stride in the collective efforts to uphold and cherish the rich,vibrant cultural heritage of Ghana. The UNESCO Kente Collection is an exceptional embodiment of Ghanaian creativity, resilience, and tradition. Entrusted to the Opoku Ware II Museum, these rare pieces now have a new home where they can be appreciated by countless generations to come.

Parallel to this, Ghana has made significant strides in recognizing and preserving Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) by submitting a nomination dossier for Kente to the Representative List of the ICH of Humanity. Additionally, Ghana has established a Provisional Register on Ghana’s ICH, a significant step forward in the conservation of our world’s cultural wealth.

Equally significant in Kumasi are the Asante Traditional Buildings, a serial World Heritage site, which carries with it a powerful intangible cultural heritage. As a living testament to the Asante civilization that thrived during the late 18th to the late 19th century, these buildings are imbued with cultural practices, social norms, and traditional values that remain significant to the Asante people. Rituals, traditional ceremonies, and oral histories surrounding these structures have been passed down through generations, contributing to a rich tapestry of intangible cultural heritage. By incorporating these elements of intangible cultural heritage into the heritage preservation agenda, Ghana is not only preserving physical structures but is also safeguarding the cultural traditions, practices, and shared memories that imbue these spaces with meaning and historical significance.

Furthermore, UNESCO has been fostering a collaborative dialogue with KNUST, particularly the university's Center for Cultural and African Studies (CeCASt). The aim is to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the General History of Africa (GHA), emphasizing the shared history and diverse cultural heritage of the African continent. These efforts also align with the principles of the 1970 Convention on the return and restitution of cultural property, further demonstrating Ghana's commitment to cultural preservation.

The donation of the UNESCO Kente Collection to the Opoku Ware II Museum, the Kente nomination dossier, and the Provisional Register are all part of a broader commitment to preserving Ghana's vibrant and diverse heritage. Together, these initiatives signify a resilient push towards safeguarding our cultural assets and promoting sustainable development through heritage preservation.

These endeavours, in turn, reflect the spirit of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, to which Ghana is a signatory, and underline the country's unwavering commitment to protecting its rich cultural heritage.

In a related development, KNUST's commitment to technology and innovation has been recognized internationally. The university's Technology Consultancy Centre (TCC) was designated as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre in November 2021, highlighting its mission to provide cutting-edge engineering services for the technological advancement of Ghana and West Africa. This recognition is an affirmation of the critical role that technology and innovation play in driving sustainable development and prosperity in the region.