The EXPO 2027 Belgrade exhibition will be an excellent opportunity to further strengthen bilateral relations between Serbia and the Republic of Ghana, while allowing Ghana to showcase its rich culture and history to the global audience, according to the EXPO 2027 organizers.
The Republic of Ghana, a West African country located on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, is one of the participants in EXPO 2027 Belgrade — the first international exhibition held in the Western Balkans — and is known for its fascinating history as well as vibrant musical and sports culture. Serbia and Ghana have maintained traditionally good and friendly relations since 1959, with ongoing high-level communication. Serbia (then part of the SFRY) supported Ghana’s struggle for independence from the very beginning, which Ghana achieved in 1957 as part of its anti-colonial policy.
EXPO 2027 Belgrade will serve as an excellent platform to further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries and to present Ghana’s rich cultural heritage to the world, the statement highlighted.
Dušan Borovčanin, Director of EXPO 2027 d.o.o. Belgrade, expressed confidence that Ghana will bring the exhibition’s main theme to life in the best possible way.
“We are extremely proud that the number of African countries participating in EXPO 2027 continues to grow, allowing them to showcase their rich cultural and sporting potential here in Belgrade. We are very pleased that friendly Ghana is among them, and we are confident it will embody our central theme in the best possible way,” Borovčanin said.
Ghana made its debut at international exhibitions at EXPO 1967 in Montreal and became a member of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) in 2007. At the Specialized Expo in Astana in 2017, Ghana won a silver medal for developing its exhibition theme.
Games and dances are an integral part of the country’s rich culture, known as the “land of cocoa” and one of the fastest-growing economies in West Africa. Popular games include Ampe (a rhythmic jumping game mainly played by girls), Pilolo, and Oware (a strategic board game popular across the region).
Well-known traditional dances include Adowa (among the Ashanti people), Kpanlogo (among the Ga people), Bamaya (in the northern part of the country), and Agbadza (among the Ewe people). These dances are performed accompanied by drums such as Atumpan and Fontomfrom, as well as string instruments like Kora and Seperewa.
Football is by far the most popular sport in Ghana, which has produced numerous global stars such as Michael Essien, former Chelsea midfielder; Samuel Kuffour, former Bayern Munich star; Asamoah Gyan; André Ayew; Sulley Muntari; and Stephen Appiah. Serbian football fans particularly remember Abedi Pele — one of the greatest African footballers of all time — who played for Olympique Marseille against Red Star Belgrade in the 1991 European Cup final, as well as Richmond Boakye, a former striker for the Belgrade club.
Ghana is the third most successful nation in the Africa Cup of Nations, having won the prestigious football tournament four times and hosting it several times as well. Besides football, Ghana has achieved success in boxing and athletics, especially sprinting and marathon running.
EXPO 2027 Belgrade will take place from May 15 to August 15, 2027, under the theme “Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All,” which will be interpreted by over 120 countries worldwide.
The exhibition, expected to be the largest event ever organized in Serbia, is anticipated to attract more than four million visitors, the EXPO 2027 organizers said.
