A festival aimed at celebrating diverse cultures worldwide, the International Junkanoo Festival has been launched with a call for unity and peaceful coexistence.

This edition, scheduled from May 21-26, will take place in Canada.

Some traditional rulers and other stakeholders from Ghana are expected to be in attendance.

Speaking at the launch which took place last Friday at the Accra Tourist Information Centre (ATIC) the Chief Director of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Madam Halima S.Yakubu urged the traditional leaders from Ghana who would be attending to properly showcase Ghana to the rest of the world and encourage African diaspora to take a trip back home.

Additionally, she charged the local organisers to better engage all relevant stakeholders to ensure a proper representation.

Also, the Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture, Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, said, culture is diverse but unique which makes it easy for everyone to identify which one others belong to.

For this reason, he called on parents to actively teach their children their cultural heritage for them, not to emulate Western culture.

That, he said, would go a long way to strengthen and protect the country’s cultural heritage among others.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme