The third edition of ‘Leyyah Fest’ has been launched at a colourful ceremony at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) auditorium in Accra.
This year’s edition, scheduled for October 27 at the Kawo Kudi Park in Accra, is under the theme: ‘Peace One Day – Bridging Traditional & Religious Barriers’.
It seeks to mobilise, harness potential and pool resources for the socio-economic development of citizens in the inner cities.
Madam Edna Nyame, Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture (NCC), said the festival would help bridge the gap between and within various ethnic groups in the country.
“The NCC is committed to actively raise the standards of arts and culture in this country. With this in view, we are most privileged to join the centre for national culture and inner city chiefs in organising ‘Leyyah Fest’.
“This year’s festival presents us with the opportunity to bridge the gaps between and within our chiefs in various ethnics groups thus to solve differences that has arisen due to the diversities in our culture,” Madam Nyame stated.
Alhaji Sultan Ahmed Nii Nortey Caesar, president of the Inner City Development Council, said the rationale behind organising ‘Leyyah Fest’ is to create a common platform to share ideas, learn and interact with one another.
“For many years in Ghana, peaceful co-existence has eluded indigenous inner city tribal and Muslim chiefs and their people. There has been misunderstanding among them and sometimes leads to fights among the youth of the various ethnic groups,” he said.
He added, “This has impeded development in these communities and are characterised by high unemployment and social vices.
“It’s in light of this that, the Inner City Development Council has decided to organise the annual ‘Leyyah Fest’ to enable all stakeholders come together to interact and understand one another to foster development.”
‘Leyyah Fest’ is being organised by Inner City Development Council, in collaboration with the National Commission on Culture (NCC) and Centre for National Culture (CNC).