ActionAid Liberia Leads National Cultural Festival | Women

Thousands of Liberians from across the country converged on the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville on Saturday for one of the nation’s largest cultural celebrations, transforming the stadium into a colorful display of traditional dances, music, food, arts, crafts and indigenous heritage while renewing calls for the preservation of Liberia’s rich cultural identity and the empowerment of women and girls.

The one-day National Cultural Festival, organized by ActionAid Liberia and its partners on Saturday August 1, 2026 under the Just and Communities (JEC) project with the  theme *”Our Culture, Our Pride*: Empowering Women and Girls,” brought together Five JEC project counties and cultural groups, traditional leaders, musicians, dancers, poets and artisans representing Liberia’s diverse ethnic and cultural communities.

Through the 2026 National Cultural Festival, ActionAid Liberia is using culture as a powerful vehicle to advance women’s rights, social justice, inclusion and community resilience while safeguarding Liberia’s rich cultural heritage. The initiative reflects the organization’s commitment to ensuring that culture remains a force for equality, peacebuilding and sustainable development by creating inclusive spaces where women and girls can celebrate their identity, leadership and contribution to national development.

The festival highlighted Liberia’s unique traditions through captivating cultural performances, exhibitions of traditional arts and crafts, indigenous cuisine and storytelling, while creating a platform for promoting national unity, cultural preservation, women’s empowerment and gender equality. This year’s edition attracted one of the largest turnouts in recent years, reflecting renewed public interest in celebrating Liberia’s cultural heritage and reconnecting communities through shared traditions. 

Throughout the day, the sprawling sports complex came alive with colorful traditional attire, rhythmic drumbeats and energetic dance performances as cultural troupes from across Liberia entertained thousands of spectators.

Women featured prominently throughout the celebrations as traditional performers, artisans, storytellers, entrepreneurs and custodians of indigenous knowledge, demonstrating the indispensable role they continue to play in preserving Liberia’s cultural identity and passing traditions from one generation to the next. 

The festival reinforced the message that protecting cultural heritage and empowering women and girls are mutually reinforcing goals that contribute to stronger and more resilient communities.

Young people also played an active role, showcasing poetry, music, dance and cultural performances that reflected growing interest among the next generation in preserving Liberia’s heritage and strengthening national identity. Their participation highlighted the importance of investing in youth as future custodians of Liberia’s diverse cultures and traditions.

The celebration also featured performances by young Liberian poets whose poems celebrated the nation’s rich cultural heritage, dignity and identity while calling for greater investment in cultural festivals as instruments for promoting unity and preserving Liberia’s traditions for future generations.

Beyond the celebrations, the festival created valuable opportunities for local artisans, traditional food vendors, cultural performers and craft makers to showcase their products and skills, highlighting the growing economic potential of Liberia’s creative and cultural industries and the important role culture can play in supporting livelihoods, particularly for women.

Delivering the solidarity address, Deputy Minister for Research, Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Curtis V. Dorley, described Liberia’s culture as the foundation of the nation’s identity and emphasized that preserving cultural heritage must go hand in hand with protecting and empowering women and girls.

“Liberian culture is the tapestry of our history, the rhythm of our traditions and the soul of our identity,” Minister Dorley said.

“It is what connects the present generation to the wisdom of those who came before us.” While emphasizing that culture continues to evolve, he said societies become stronger when every member is respected and protected.

“True culture is never static; it lives, breathes and evolves. It grows stronger when it protects, values and elevates all of its people. Today, we boldly declare that our cultural identity shines the brightest when our women and girls are safe, valued, celebrated and empowered.”

Minister Dorley praised ActionAid Liberia and its partners for organizing what he described as a timely initiative, particularly at a time when many aspects of Liberia’s traditional heritage face increasing pressure from modernization, urbanization and globalization.

He stressed that empowering women and girls extends beyond advocacy and requires deliberate action to provide equal access to opportunities, leadership and economic resources.

“Empowering women and girls means guaranteeing equal access to resources, credit and opportunities. It means honoring the invisible labor they carry and transforming it into tangible, sustainable economic power. It means women are at the decision-making tables discussing issues that affect them.

When a woman is financially independent, she lifts her family, strengthens her community and secures our collective prosperity.”

Officially welcoming participants on behalf of Montserrado County Superintendent Whroway Bryant, Superintendent Office representative Joe Dennis described the gathering as a powerful reminder of Liberia’s rich cultural diversity and the need to preserve the country’s traditions.

“The turnout today reminds us of the richness of Liberia’s cultural heritage, the beauty of our traditions and the strength of our communities,” Dennis said.

“Culture is the foundation of our identity. It reflects our values, our customs, our music and dances, and the wisdom passed down from generation to generation.”

He urged Liberians to preserve the positive values embedded in their cultural heritage while embracing national development and modernization.

“As we celebrate today, let us recommit ourselves to preserving the positive aspects of our cultural heritage while embracing development and national progress.”

Dennis thanked ActionAid Liberia and its partners for bringing together Liberians from different backgrounds and encouraged citizens to use cultural celebrations as platforms for promoting unity, mutual respect, patriotism and peaceful coexistence.

He also emphasized the importance of placing women and girls at the center of national development efforts.

Also speaking, Karl Backeus, Swedish Ambassador to Liberia,  praised the festival for bringing together diverse communities while highlighting the important role of women in preserving Liberia’s cultural heritage.

He reaffirmed Sweden’s long-standing partnership with Liberia in promoting gender equality, women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

According to Ambassador Backeus, promoting women’s rights does not undermine Liberia’s traditions but instead strengthens the country’s cultural values.

“I sometimes hear that doing away with harmful traditional practices is doing away with Liberia’s culture, but that’s not true. We all know the beautiful culture of Liberia that we are so proud of today.”

He said Sweden remains committed to supporting initiatives that protect women’s rights while preserving the positive values that define Liberia’s cultural identity.

During the vote of thanks, ActionAid Liberia Country Director, Elizabeth G. Johnson, reflected on the progress made in promoting positive cultural values while addressing harmful traditional practices affecting the rights and dignity of women and girls.

Speaking alongside representatives of the Swedish Embassy in Monrovia, including Dwedwe Tarpeh, and implementing partners LIWEN, WOCDAL, DOMAFEIGN, SAIL, and NATPAH, Johnson recalled that the journey began with significant challenges, including resistance, limited awareness and difficult engagement within communities.

She said the progress witnessed today reflects sustained commitment, strong partnerships and continuous engagement among traditional leaders, government institutions, civil society organizations and development partners working together to advance positive social change.

Johnson expressed appreciation to the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Swedish Embassy for their continued partnership in supporting efforts to end harmful traditional practices while promoting gender equality and preserving Liberia’s rich cultural heritage. 

She also commended implementing partners for their dedication and collaboration in advancing women’s rights and empowering communities across the country.

She urged all stakeholders to build on the gains achieved, emphasizing that preserving Liberia’s cultural heritage and protecting the rights of women and girls are mutually reinforcing goals that are essential for building peaceful, inclusive and resilient communities.

Stakeholders observed that rapid urbanization, globalization and the gradual decline in the use of indigenous languages continue to threaten many traditional customs and practices. They emphasized that sustained investment in cultural education, documentation and community-led initiatives is essential to ensure Liberia’s heritage is preserved for future generations.

They further called on the Government of Liberia, development partners, educational institutions, traditional authorities, civil society organizations and communities to increase support for indigenous languages, traditional arts, cultural education and women-led cultural initiatives as critical investments in national identity, peacebuilding and sustainable development.

The festival concluded with hours of cultural performances, traditional dances, indigenous music and exhibitions that reflected Liberia’s remarkable ethnic diversity.

For many participants, the event served not only as a celebration of culture but also as a reminder that Liberia’s traditions remain a powerful force for promoting unity, national identity, social cohesion and inclusive development.

As Liberia continues its development journey, stakeholders emphasized that preserving culture must remain central to nation-building. They stressed that cultural heritage is not only a reflection of the country’s past but also a foundation for peace, economic opportunity, social cohesion and national identity. Through initiatives such as the National Cultural Festival, ActionAid Liberia and its partners are helping ensure that Liberia’s rich traditions are celebrated, protected and passed on to future generations while creating greater opportunities for women and girls to lead, participate and succeed.

The overwhelming public participation demonstrated that Liberians remain deeply proud of their cultural identity. Organizers expressed optimism that the National Cultural Festival will continue to grow into a flagship annual event that celebrates diversity, strengthens national unity, promotes women’s leadership and inspires future generations to preserve the customs, languages, arts and traditions that define Liberia.

For ActionAid Liberia, the festival represents more than a cultural celebration; it is an investment in people, identity and a future where culture and gender equality advance hand in hand.