By Olga MedvedkoPrisident of Gumilyov SocietyAccra – Moscow
The Writers’ Union of the Republic of Ghana held a post-press conference of the World Organization of Writers (WOW) in the capital, Accra, dedicated, among other things, to the results of the Second World Writers’ Congress (Moscow, September 20–21, 2025). The conference was held as part of the “Literary salon of World Literature” creative platform and featured journalists, representatives of Ghanaian television, writers, translators, and public figures, as well as guests from other countries.
The event was curated by renowned Ghanaian journalist Anthony Afrane, former Secretary General of the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW). His work has long been associated with presenting Ghanaian literature and its creators to the world, and of course, to Russia. It is noteworthy that Afrane was awarded the WOW Gold Medal “For Contribution to World Literature”—the first time such an award has been presented to a journalist.
The event itself was held at the headquarters of the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), which was founded in 1989 and now unites writers from African countries. Camynta Baezie, President of the Ghana Writers Association, and Michael Kelly, Acting Secretary General (who succeeded Anthony Afrane), welcomed the development of literary and cultural cooperation between Russia and Ghana.
Margarita Al, President of the WOW, presented the results of the Second WOW Congress, which was attended by writers from 64 countries and presented special prizes to authors from Brazil, China, France, Indonesia, Syria, and Russia. During her speech, Margarita Al conveyed greetings from Nobel Laureate in Literature Wole Shoinka, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Alexandra Ochirova, and Secretary-General of the World Peoples’ Assembly Andrey Belyaninov.
The meeting focused on WOW’s six strategic programs within the framework of the Decade of the World’s Languages (2026–2035), the Year of the Russian Language (2026) as the Language of World Literature and Philosophy, the international project “Language – Tradition – Culture,” the creative platform “Literary Salon of World Literature,” and the International Volunteer Readers’ Movement.
A presentation of the “Russia-Ghana” initiative as part of the “Language – Tradition – Culture” project was held. Specifically, on February 21, photo exhibitions titled “Family as the Foundation of Society” will open simultaneously in Russia and Ghana, featuring texts and visual images in Russian and Ghana’s indigenous languages of Chi and Ga.
As the President of the Gumilyov Society, I had the opportunity to speak in Accra about the Russian poet Nikolai Gumilyov, who visited Africa four times in the early 20th century. He is undoubtedly a true bridge between our cultures and peoples. In this regard, he can even be compared to Pushkin, whose ancestors came from Ethiopia.
During the post-press conference, Margarita Al announced the start of preparations for the Third World Writers’ Congress (WOW), which will be held in July 2026 in Brazil. The plan is to summarize the initial results of the Decade of the World’s Languages. As Margarita Al noted, “a writer is given the gift of speech not as a privilege, but as a responsibility,” and today, words are increasingly playing a role in shaping the future of the planet. The Russian language, along with Chi and Ga, are moving in this direction together.
