Hon. Minister

Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture

Accra, Ghana

Cc:

Chief Executive Officer

Ghana Tourism Authority

Accra, Ghana

Date: 01/06/2025

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Subject: Urgent Appeal to Preserve the Sanctity of Elmina Castle in Accordance with Global Heritage Standards

Dear Honourable Minister,

I write to you as a concerned Ghanaian, a heritage advocate, and a stakeholder in our nation’s socio-cultural identity, to draw urgent attention to the controversial operation of a restaurant within the Elmina Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sacred landmark central to the painful memory of the transatlantic slave trade.

While we welcome investors who create jobs and contribute positively to the Ghanaian economy, we must draw the line where commercial interests conflict with national dignity, global heritage ethics, and the emotional wounds of history. Elmina Castle is one such place where solemnity must override commercial ambition.

Contextual Background

The conversation about the misuse of Elmina Castle is not new. In 1993, public backlash—both locally and from the African diaspora—forced the closure of a similar bar and restaurant within the Castle. Today, the same issues have resurfaced. African Americans, Ghanaians, and global citizens alike continue to question the appropriateness of commercial food and beverage operations within a site that was once a holding cell for human suffering.

This concern has once again gained national prominence following recent statements from private individuals defending their continued commercial operation within the Castle premises.

Global Best Practices

Across the world, heritage sites associated with genocide, slavery, and human rights atrocities are treated with the utmost reverence:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial (Poland) prohibits any form of commercial activity that might trivialize the Holocaust.
• The Kigali Genocide Memorial (Rwanda) allows only educational and commemorative activities.
• The Apartheid Museum (South Africa) prohibits celebratory commercial activities on site.

Similarly, UNESCO guidelines and ICOMOS charters stress that activities at World Heritage Sites must not compromise their integrity or contradict the historical memory they represent. Restaurants and bars inside such solemn spaces are strongly discouraged.

Our Appeal

We respectfully request the Ministry and the Ghana Tourism Authority to:

1. Immediately halt all bar and restaurant operations inside Elmina Castle.
2. Commission a full audit and review of all commercial activities occurring within heritage sites nationwide.
3. Work with stakeholders to convert all such spaces into educational, archival, and memorial programs.
4. Reinforce Ghana’s commitment to the international conventions we have signed concerning the protection of world heritage sites.

This is not just a local issue. It is a national and global matter. Elmina Castle is a symbol of global black identity, dignity, and memory. We must honor it as such. Let us lead the continent and the world by upholding the highest standard of cultural and moral preservation.

We are counting on your leadership.

Respectfully,

Signed,

Nana Ofori Owusu