Togo’s ‘Ekpésosso’ New Year Ritual Joins UNESCO Intangible Heritage List

Culture

Thursday, 11 December 2025 17:10

Togo’s ‘Ekpésosso’ New Year Ritual Joins UNESCO Intangible Heritage List

(Togo First) - "La prise de la pierre sacrée," known locally as Ekpésosso, a major New Year ritual in the Guin region of southern Togo, has been added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The inscription was approved Thursday in New Delhi during the 20th session of the UN cultural agency’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Togolese delegation, led by Kpayé Bakayota, chief of staff to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts, welcomed the completion of a process launched nearly two years ago. The nomination, prepared by the cultural heritage department, was submitted to the 2003 Convention Secretariat in February 2024 and was reviewed over roughly ten months.

With this inscription, Ekpésosso becomes the third Togolese entry on the list, alongside the oral tradition ‘Gèlèdè’ and ‘Maïeutique,’ both submitted through multinational nominations. For the Guin communities, the recognition is a significant milestone. The ritual, once safeguarded locally, now holds the status of a cultural asset shared by all humanity and benefits from stronger mechanisms for protection and transmission.

The Ministry of Culture says the recognition also opens new opportunities for partnerships, promotion and international visibility, with potential gains for cultural tourism.

Ekpésosso is a key stage in the ritual cycle that marks the start of the Guin new year, Epé Ekpé. Togo aims to preserve and promote this cultural heritage with support from UNESCO and international partners.

Esaïe Edoh

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