Ghana and South Korea have launched a $4-million initiative to protect and preserve some historic forts and castles in the country from the effects of climate change. The project would also strengthen the country’s capacity to identify, monitor and respond to climate-related threats. As part of the project, climate risk assessments would be conducted to [...]
Ghana and South Korea have launched a $4-million initiative to protect and preserve some historic forts and castles in the country from the effects of climate change.
The project would also strengthen the country’s capacity to identify, monitor and respond to climate-related threats.
As part of the project, climate risk assessments would be conducted to determine the specific environmental threats facing the selected sites.
The initiative will further reinforce policies on heritage and climate change, train heritage professionals and build the capacity of institutions and local communities to respond effectively to climate-related threats.
Under the five-year Korea-Ghana Heritage Project, six forts and castles in the Greater Accra Region have been selected.
They are Fort Fredensborg, Fort Vernon, Fort Augustaborg, Christiansborg Castle, Ussher Fort and James Fort.
The project would be jointly implemented by the Korea Heritage Service, the Korean National Commission for UNESCO (KNCU), the Ghana Commission for UNESCO (GCU) and local authorities to establish a sustainable conservation framework.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, speaking at the event in Accra last Wednesday, said the sites were important assets for tourism, education, research, cultural diplomacy and national development, stating that the growing effects of climate change, particularly coastal erosion and increased rainfall, were putting the sites at increasing risk.
“If we do not act decisively, we risk losing important elements of our collective heritage,” she said.
She said the project complemented national efforts to ensure that the forts and castles were properly protected, conserved and managed in line with international standards.
The Culture and Creative Arts Minister thanked the government of South Korea for the support and the Korean technical team that had spent several weeks in the country working with local institutions and communities.
She, however, appealed to residents and communities around the sites to respect the buffer zones, keep the surroundings clean and desist from activities that could undermine the integrity of the monuments.
“When we protect them, we protect our history. We protect our future,” she said.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a speech read on his behalf, said the sites remained important resources for teaching children about history, identity and civic memory.
“If we lose these sites, we lose a vital resource for teaching generations of Ghanaians who they are and where they come from,” he said.
He said Ghanaian officials have already undertaken specialised training, while a policy-makers programme was being developed to train officers to formulate policies addressing heritage conservation and climate change.
Heritage collaboration
The Secretary-General of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, Dr Hyunik Hong, said cultural heritage around the world was facing unprecedented threats from climate change, adding that protecting historic sites in the 21st century required international solidarity and innovative approaches.
He expressed the hope that the project would become a benchmark for cultural cooperation that empowered communities, strengthened institutional capacity and contributed to global climate resilience.
The South Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Kyongsig Park, said preserving historical sites was essential because future generations needed tangible evidence to help them understand the past.
He also expressed confidence that the partnership could achieve significant results within the five-year period and assured the country of Korea’s continued support.
The Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service, Heo Min, said the project would provide an opportunity to share Korea’s experience with the country and strengthen the country’s capacity and resilience in managing and preserving heritage against climate change.
He said the initiative would go beyond one-time assistance and establish a model of forward-looking international heritage diplomacy based on mutual respect, technical innovation and shared growth.
The acting Secretary-General of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, Professor Osman Damba Tahidu, said the launch was a landmark moment in North-South cooperation between the two UNESCO National Commissions.
He urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the implementation of the project and ensure that its impact was sustained across generations.
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