Africa Day

Background

The First Congress of Independent African States was held in Accra, Ghana on 15 April 1958. It was convened by the Prime Minister of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and comprised representatives from Egypt (then a constituent part of the United Arab Republic), Ethiopia, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon, and the host country, Ghana.. The Union of South Africa was not invited. The conference showcased progress of liberation movements on the African continent in addition to symbolizing the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation. Although the Pan-African Congress had been working towards similar goals since its foundation in 1900, this was the first time such a meeting had taken place on African soil.

The conference called for the founding of an African Freedom Day, a day to "...mark each year the onward progress of the liberation movement, and to symbolize the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation."

The conference was notable in that it laid the basis for the subsequent meetings of African heads of state and government during the Casablanca Group and the Monrovia Group era, until the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.

History

Five years later, on 25 May 1963, representatives of thirty African nations met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, hosted by Emperor Haile Selassie. By then more than two-thirds of the continent had achieved independence, mostly from imperial European states. At this meeting, the Organization of African Unity was founded, with the initial aim to encourage the decolonization of Angola, Mozambique, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia. The organization pledged to support the work conducted by freedom fighters, and remove military access to colonial nations. A charter was set out which sought to improve the living standards across member states. Selassie exclaimed, "May this convention of union last 1,000 years."

The charter was signed by all attendees on 26 May, with the exception of Morocco. At that meeting, Africa Freedom Day was renamed Africa Liberation Day. In 2002, the OAU was replaced by the African Union. However, the renamed celebration of Africa Day continues to be celebrated on 25 May in respect to the formation of the OAU.

Contemporary celebrations

Africa Day continues to be celebrated both in Africa and around the world, mostly on 25 May (although in some cases these periods of celebrations can be stretched out over a period of days or weeks). Themes are set for each year's Africa Day, with 2015's being the "Year of Women's Empowerment and Development towards Africa's Agenda 2063". At an event in New York City in 2015, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jan Eliasson, delivered a message from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in which he said, "Let us... intensify our efforts to provide Africa's women with better access to education, work and health care and, by doing so, accelerate Africa's transformation". The slogan of the 2023 Africa Day celebration was "Our Africa Our Future". The theme of 2024 Africa Day celebration is "Education Fit for the 21st Century".

Sixth region and diaspora observances

Africa–Caribbean (CARICOM) Day

In 2021 the Republic of Kenya hosted the first joint African Union summit along with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region virtually. To commemorate this event it was decided that September 7, would be celebrated annually as Africa-CARICOM Day throughout the Caribbean to recognize and strengthen linkages between CARICOM and Africa. The first of August has been celebrated as African Emancipation Day throughout much of the British Empire from the Trans-Atlantic African Slave Trade and the addition of Africa Day in the Caribbean has to come to be regarded as part of an observance known as the 'Season of Emancipation' across the Caribbean countries.

Footnotes

Notes

References

References

1. Tutu, Bongiwe. (25 May 2017). "10 Things to Know About Africa Day".
2. (21 May 2024). "Africa Day To Be Celebrated On May 24". Government of Barbados.
3. [http://www.thetalkingdrum.com/ald.html "The History of Africa Liberation Day"]; TheTalkingDrum.com; accessed May 2017
4. (10 May 2012). "African Liberation Day: A Celebration of Resistance". Pambazuka News.
5. jonas. (24 May 2012). "The History of Africa Day – 25 May".
6. (25 May 1963). "1963: African States Unite Against White Rule". BBC On This Day.
7. (26 May 2015). "Africa Day: Is the African Union worth celebrating?". Daily Maverick.
8. "Africa Day 2021 {{!}} South African Government".
9. (12 October 2016). "Kakadu for Africa Day celebrations". The Nation.
10. (27 May 2015). "Africa Day 2015 Celebrated in New York". United Peace Federation.
11. "Commemoration of Africa Day, May 25, 2023". African Union.
12. "Celebrating Africa Day with the Theme: Education Fit for the 21st Century".
13. Staff writer. (7 September 2023). "2nd Anniversary of the Africa – CARICOM Day". Gov. of the Republic of Kenya.
14. (6 September 2024). "Message from the P.J. Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy – Africa-CARICOM Day". [[Caribbean Community]] (CARICOM).
15. (7 March 2022). "Africa-CARICOM Day Celebrations Likely On September 7". Government of Barbados.
16. (7 September 2023). "Strengthening Bonds: Africa-CARICOM Day Celebrated on September 7". Caribbean Export.
17. Staff writer. (7 September 2023). "September 7 is Africa-CARICOM Day: The UWI marks the celebration with hybrid public forum and cultural dress day". [[University of the West Indies]] (UWI), Mona Campus.
18. (18 April 2024). "African Emancipation Day: August 1 holiday renamed". Loop News.