Ahenfie- Palace of Memory is set to host a timely panel discussion titled “Preserving Ghana: What It Takes to Preserve an Archive” on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Dikan Main venue in Accra.
The event is part of the ongoing exhibition “Preserving Ghana: The Living Archives of a Nation,” which showcases rare photographs, original documents, and other historical materials to highlight how Ghana’s history, culture, and collective memory are documented and safeguarded for future generations.
Launched at the Dikan Centre, the exhibition transforms archives from static repositories into dynamic, living systems deeply embedded in national life and public consciousness.
Organizers emphasize that the panel will challenge conventional views of archives as mere storage facilities. Instead, it will portray them as vital, evolving institutions intertwined with identity, governance, and cultural continuity.
The discussion will explore the structures, policies, individuals, and institutions that shape the preservation of Ghana’s historical records.
Esteemed Panelists and Moderator
The conversation will feature prominent voices in Ghana’s archival and cultural sectors. Paul Ninson, Curator and Executive Director of the Dikan Center, a pioneering institution that has built one of Africa’s largest photography and visual culture libraries.
Ninson, a visual storyteller and scholar, has dedicated years to collecting and digitizing materials that document African life, making historical resources more accessible.
Judith Opoku-Boateng, Head of the University of Ghana Archives and Archivist of the J.H. Kwabena Nketia Archives at the Institute of African Studies.
With extensive experience managing audiovisual and academic collections, she has led efforts to preserve Ghanaian scholarly and cultural heritage amid ongoing preservation challenges.
Kofi Nana Oduro Iddrisu, Founder of Archive Africa, a rapidly growing digital platform with hundreds of thousands of followers.
The Ghanaian-British archivist and researcher has built a significant independent collection of historical photographs, films, and documents, while actively working toward physical infrastructure like a library in Accra.
Elizabeth Johnson of the Goethe-Institut Accra will moderate the session, bringing international perspectives on cultural heritage to the discussion.
Panelists will tackle pressing issues facing Ghana’s archives.Ghana’s archival sector has long grappled with challenges such as underfunding, inadequate infrastructure, and the deterioration of physical records.
Public institutions like the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD) have highlighted risks to thousands of historical files, while digital preservation efforts face hurdles related to skills, technology, and resources.
Initiatives like Ahenfie and Archive Africa represent a growing movement of private and collaborative efforts to fill these gaps through digitization, public engagement, and community-driven archiving.
A Platform for Public Debate
Beyond the panel, the event aims to reposition Ahenfie not just as an exhibition space but as a dynamic “palace” for memory-a hub where Ghanaians and international audiences can openly debate and influence the future of cultural heritage.
Ahenfie, meaning “palace” in Akan, embodies a vision of memory as a living home rather than a distant museum, honoring Ghana’s independence story and broader African visual history.
The panel discussion is open to the public and free of charge, encouraging broad participation from students, historians, artists, policymakers, and anyone interested in Ghana’s past and future. Organizers hope the evening will spark actionable ideas, partnerships, and greater public investment in archival work.
As Ghana continues to assert its narrative on the global stage, events like this highlight a simple truth: preserving archives is not merely technical work- it is an act of nation-building and cultural sovereignty.
Attendees will leave with deeper insight into what it truly takes to keep a nation’s memory alive.
