The Pan African Historical Theatre Festival, also known as PANAFEST, was proposed by the late Efua Sutherland in the middle of the 1980s as a means of bringing together Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora to discuss the still-unresolved issues generated by slavery.  

PANAFEST addresses the most traumatic interruption to the normal development of African communities, which, among other traumas, severely undermined a people’s sense of self-worth and freedom to pursue their own goals. 

These must be eliminated since they are a barrier to Africans’ advancement. Large, now-silent monuments to more than 500 years of this most violent period in Africa’s history can be found all along Ghana’s coastline. The event purposefully transforms them into a place for confronting the consequences of slavery, healing the grief of diaspora, recognizing the lasting repercussions of the trade on the Continent, and coming back together to construct a bright future in the modern world. PANAFEST honors the accomplishments of Africans despite the transatlantic slave trade and its effects, as well as the qualities and resiliency of African culture. It is intended to support Africans in rededicating themselves to fully taking control of their own destiny in recognition of the lessons of history and being inspired to perpetual vigilance by helping them reconnect with their strengths. 

Today’s pressing developments have transformed this proudly Ghanaian project into a crucial and timely platform that gives members of the African Family the chance to interact with one another in open dialogue. Negative aspects of the continent’s development include people trafficking, brain drain, the marginalization of Africans in the global knowledge economy, the resurgence of foreign interest in Africa’s natural resources, and the glacial pace of African unification. Positive elements also exist, such as those that support international agreements and alliances as well as African endeavors to launch multinational corporations. the importance of community projects, making use of technology, and mobilizing the power of Africans worldwide.