The issue came to the fore during a one-day Training of Trainers workshop, held at the ATU Research Commons on April 30, 2026, as part of the Collaborative Archival and Community Stewardship Ghana (CACASG) Project. The program brought together members of Heritage Dialogue and representatives from traditional councils, academic institutions, museums, archives, media organizations, and community groups to discuss practical approaches to preserving local knowledge systems.
Participants were reminded that oral traditions, cultural expressions, indigenous knowledge, and local histories remain vulnerable due to inadequate documentation and the risk of loss to future generations. Organizers stressed the need to take urgent steps to safeguard these forms of intangible heritage before they disappear.
As one of Heritage Dialogue’s objectives, the workshop’s key theme was recognizing communities as custodians of their own heritage. Participants were encouraged to take an active role in preserving historical records and to establish community-owned archives that reflect local values and cultural practices.
Facilitators, led by Prof. Chris Prom of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, along with Dr. Florence Plockey and Mr. Donus W. Buadi, introduced participants to digital preservation methods, oral history collection, metadata development, and strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of archival projects.
Interactive sessions challenged attendees to identify culturally significant materials in their communities and to develop practical plans to preserve them through digitization. The discussions underscored the importance of using technology to protect heritage while ensuring that communities retain ownership and control of their cultural resources.
Participants also highlighted challenges facing heritage preservation efforts, including limited funding and lingering attitudes that fail to recognize the value of indigenous knowledge. They emphasized the need to reposition traditional knowledge systems as essential resources for strengthening cultural identity and advancing national development.
At the close of the workshop, ATU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Amevi Acakpovi commended the facilitators and participants for their commitment to preserving Ghana’s cultural memory. He noted that the growing collaboration between ATU and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers new opportunities for research, training, and community engagement in archival studies.
The workshop concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthening community archiving practices and to ensuring that Ghana’s rich heritage and indigenous knowledge are documented, preserved, and passed down to future generations.
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