World Folklore Day 2025 was celebrated with a storytelling programme and other folklore activities at ViVie’s Dance and Theatre Academy in Accra.
The National Folklore Board chose to bring the story telling programme, “By The Fire Side” to the door step of the young ones and their families to enable them appreciate folklore and understand the past, present, as well as serve as a future guide.
In a short speech during the ceremony, the Executive Director of the National Folklore Board, Mrs. Bernice Ann Deh-Kumah encouraged parents to make use of folklore in their homes.
According to the Executive Director, children gain a lot from folklore as it helps teach moral values, introduces new ideas which promotes creative thinking in them, helps foster the love for reading, builds emotional intelligence, enhances their language development and ultimately serve as a fun way to learn.
She noted that folklore has tremendously contributed to the developmental agenda as a nation. “For instance, we have used folklore to preserve our forest and water bodies such as in some communities, days are set aside for which people are not allowed to go fishing, farming or hunting in order to preserve our environment which are strictly adhere by the people.”, She added.
Mrs. Deh-Kumah, pointed out that similarly, local agricultural technologies usage in food production has contributed immensely to sustainable food supply in communities across the country.
She entreats everyone to reflect on the importance of cultural heritage, its contribution to cultural preservation and identity, community building and social cohesion as well as its entertainment and engagement purpose.
