On September 25, 2026, the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens, Greece, played host to the 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards Gala, a premier event celebrating excellence in public relations. Ms. Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), delivered the opening and closing remarks, presenting awards to outstanding practitioners and organizations from around the world. The event featured submissions from approximately 50 countries, showcasing the global character of IPRA.
The 2026 Golden World Awards theme, "Humanity in Harmony," resonated deeply with the current state of the world. Ms. Cobbah emphasized the power of communication in building trust, encouraging collaboration, and creating meaningful impact. She highlighted the importance of anchoring communication in ethics and humanity, especially in a rapidly changing world marked by artificial intelligence, misinformation, and climate change.
The IPRA Grand Prix, the highest distinction in the competition, was awarded to Nigeria's Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) for its initiative, "AI for Crisis Communication: From Study to Strategy." This project addressed the challenges of AI-driven misinformation and digital information disorder, translating research into a practical strategic communication response.
Ghana's presence at the awards was marked by the success of Strategic Communications Africa (Stratcomm Africa), which won two 2026 Golden World Awards. One of the award-winning initiatives, the "Speakers Bureau Enablement Session," was developed for the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana, equipping young people, including those with disabilities, to articulate their experiences and represent their communities.
The other winning entry from Stratcomm Africa, "Ɛboapa – Ɔkyi Nam Pa," was a community outreach program for an international company, using culturally relevant communication to support health screening and financial literacy in Ngalekyi, a community in Ghana's Western Region. These examples demonstrate that globally recognized PR excellence can emerge from authentic stories, local knowledge, and community participation.
Esther Cobbah's leadership of IPRA presents an opportunity for the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana (IPR Ghana) and the African Public Relations Association (APRA) to strengthen their contribution to the international profession. It also underscores the importance of investing in professional standards, ethical practice, innovation, research, and continuous learning.
The 2026 Athens Gala serves as a celebration of African professional excellence and a reminder of the responsibility that comes with it. As Ghana and Africa's PR community celebrate this achievement, they are also challenged to demonstrate that African perspectives belong in global professional conversations and that recognition must be matched by service, integrity, and impact.
Key points
- Esther Cobbah's leadership of IPRA highlights Ghana's growing contribution to the international communications profession.
- Stratcomm Africa's win at the 2026 Golden World Awards showcases Ghanaian excellence in public relations.
- The 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards theme, "Humanity in Harmony," emphasizes the importance of ethics and humanity in communication.
