An image of a cultural performance during the programme
As part of efforts to promote and deepen the understanding of the African culture among the youth, Academic City University College has organized a programme dubbed “The Diversity Day”.
This year’s event which is a student-led initiative was on the theme ‘Breaking the Stereotype’. The one-day event aimed to celebrate and appreciate the different african cultures and backgrounds in language, food, history, dressing, music, dance, and literature.
In addition, the event served as a platform to reflect on who we are, where we come from and where we are headed as a continent.
As a university with about 50 per cent of its students consisting of non-Ghanaian citizens, Academic City believes that promoting the continent’s diverse cultures is key to ensure unity among the African people, which will significantly contribute to the development of the continent.
Opening the event, Prof. Fred McBagonluri remarked that “Diversity is more than just culture, regional affiliations, associations and linguistics.
It is important to note that our thoughts or world view is very critical when discussing diversity. It is a convergence of these that help to drive society forward”.
According to him, diversity serves as an anchor that connects people from different backgrounds, adding that if that is properly harnessed, it could be a celebration of the human race.
He further indicated that “Diversity is also a linchpin for open-mindedness in the sense that we are often restrained from the confines of our culture. Being open to diversity means one get to learn new things and also provides an opportunity to examine and re-evaluate our own systems and biases”.
Dr. Ransford Antwi, Head of Social Sciences Department identified diversity as being critical to making the African continent a better place for the entire human race.
“As Africans, diversity is our key strength. Bringing together diverse backgrounds to share their ideas and experiences is key to engineering appropriate solutions for development. We must come together irrespective of our culture or background to focus on building the continent as best as it can be,” he noted.
The event was also attended by students of Central University and provided an opportunity for faculty and students of the two institutions to network.