A photojournalist with the Daily Graphic, Caleb Nii Addo Vanderpuye, was adjudged the winner of the 2025 National Heritage Photo Competition during an award ceremony held in Accra on Wednesday, July 30.
The competition was organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in collaboration with UNESCO, to celebrate Ghanaian heritage.
The award-winning photograph (below) captured a historic interaction between the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, during the second royal visit by an Asante King since Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II paid a visit to the Ga State on July 25, 1946.
The competition was open to young people below the age of 25, with entries received from across the country showcasing diverse cultural expressions.
Three outstanding photographs were selected based on technical skill, creativity, and emotional impact.
National collection
The photographs by Mr Vanderpuye, Kwabena Asamoah (second place), and Zeinab Abass Mohammed (third place) will be preserved in a national collection.
Mr Vanderpuye was presented with a camera, a tripod stand, and a plaque, while Mr Asamoah and Ms Mohammed each received a Samsung phone, a tripod stand, and a plaque.
At the event, tributes were paid to Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, whose music, celebrated for its storytelling, cultural expression, and impact on Ghanaian society, was recognised.
The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, players in the tourism industry, and officials from the Ministry of Tourism.
Inspiring youth
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, said the initiative was aimed at inspiring young Ghanaians to contribute to national development through arts and culture.
She noted that the competition reflected the government’s commitment to empowering young people through creative expression.
“Our intention behind launching this initiative was simple but profound: to inspire young Ghanaians to engage with our culture in meaningful ways, to encourage them to explore our heritage, not only through books and oral tradition, but also through the power of visual storytelling,” she said.
She congratulated the winners and thanked them for using their creativity to show deep appreciation for the country’s cultural heritage.
“The winners' work is described as not only telling their own stories but also contributing to the story of Ghana. Their contributions will be preserved as part of a national collection, with hopes that this recognition will propel them to greater heights in their creative journey,” she said.
She encouraged young people to continue exploring their talents and telling the country’s story through photography.
The UNESCO Country Director, Edmond Moukala, congratulated the participants for their contributions to heritage preservation and acknowledged the judges for their outstanding work in selecting the winners.
He expressed hope that the works of the winners would foster a lifelong passion for cultural preservation.
Winner
Mr Vanderpuye expressed gratitude for the opportunity to showcase his work and contribute to cultural promotion through photography.
He said it was his desire to continue creating culturally significant photographs that promote heritage.
He thanked the Ministry and UNESCO for organising the event, stating that such events were rare but highly motivating for photographers, especially those focused on cultural heritage.
