The maiden edition of “The Eve Festival”, a fiesta designed to celebrate and appreciate the impact and value of the Ghanaian woman, has opened in Accra.
The four-day festival, organised by Eve International, under the auspices of its Life Patron, Her Royal Highness Lady Julia Osei Tutu, is the first of its kind, serving as an opportunity for women to physically interact, highlight businesses opportunities, learn new things, and create new links amidst a variety of fun activities.
Speaking at the opening, Dr Vannesa Mensah-Kabu, President, Eve International, said the festival seeks to bring accomplished women from across the globe to mentor young women to become successful and impact the lives of other people.
“Eve is a social group and a platform for skills training and skills exchange that would help women advance in their careers and occupy higher positions in society. The formation of the organisation is a clarion call to all Ghanaian women to come together to push the empowerment agenda.”
She said the festival is scheduled to climax all activities within the year in which all members of Eve International, including those in the diaspora, get together for fun-filled professional and social activities.
“Each of us here today believes in the need for and importance of elevating the Ghanaian woman and Girl-child, and that is what Eve seeks to do… We would not relent in our efforts but ensure that we sustain the momentum so that soon, the Ghanaian woman would be recognised globally.”
Dr Mensah-Kabu said the festival had come to stay and would help project the Ghanaian women through networking.
“The festival, while creating opportunity for women to sell their skills, products, and services as well as mentor and receive mentorship, will also target the disparity between women, the need for inclusion, gender parity, maternal and childcare, good health and wellbeing through availability of quality and affordable healthcare.”
Dr Mensah-Kabu emphasized that Eve International was also passionate about mental health and its related effects on women, as well as the socio-economic effect of climate change, population increase and sustainability and how all those factors protected women.
She encouraged Ghanaian women to sign up for the organisation and take advantage of the festival to engage, network, create awareness and empower each other to become better people.
Some activities lined up for the festival include entrepreneurs in small business seminars, a climate change conference, a summit on the status of Ghanaian women and personal branding, and conference on the economic empowerment of women.
The rest are women’s public health forum, diaspora forum, musical concert, fashion shows, old school jams, choral festival, Heritage Day event, a day in the park, arts and exhibition, and breast cancer screening.
Some topics to be discussed include equality and discrimination against women, achieving gender parity through STEM and TVET, women’s involvement in the sustainability of climate change, and women and personal branding.
The ceremony was attended by Her Royal Highness Lady Julia Osei Tutu, wife of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Chief of Staff Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Queen mothers, and representatives of the Ga Mantse, among others.
