World Folklore Day – August 22

On August 22, 1846, a British man named William G. Thorns published an article in a London magazine named “Atheneum”. In this article he mentioned the term folklore for the very first time. So, every August 22, people all over the world celebrate the culture and importance of these stories and art forms.

As defined in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore (1989), “folklore (or traditional and popular culture) is the totality of tradition-based creations, of a cultural community, expressed by a group or individuals and recognized as reflecting the expectations of a community in so far as they reflect its cultural and social identity; its standards and values are transmitted orally, by imitation or by other means. Its forms are, among others, language, literature, music, dance, games, mythology, rituals, customs, handicrafts, architecture and other arts.”

World Folklore Day – Ghana

In commemoration of World Folklore Day which falls on the 22nd of August every year, the NFB organizes days events. The curtain –raiser for the celebrations are usually Launch,  Symposium, and Eat Ghana which brings together stakeholders to deliberate on the relevance of folklore to us as a people, and related matters.

The World Folklore Day creates the avenue for cross- cultural communication and tourism with some 11 countries showcasing their culture during the celebrations.