Continent marks Africa Day with theme on cultural heritage

Several African countries on Tuesday marked Africa Day, an annual commemoration of the founding of the Organization of African Unity in May 1963. The organization was later transformed into the African Union in July 2002. The day also provides an opportunity to review the political and socio-economic achievements of African governments and Africans.

This year's Africa Day is in line with the African Union theme for the year 2021, "Art's Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa we Want". The theme is meant to raise public awareness of the importance for African artists to preserve and promote inherent African values through their artistic expressions as a way to decolonize and emancipate African artistic works that were subjected to the influence of Western colonization and neo-colonization.

In a statement released by his office, Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa's president, said even as the continent celebrates Africa Day and the progress made towards building a peaceful and prosperous continent, Africa still has a long way to go.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has made people already suffering from the effects of conflict, under-development and poverty even more vulnerable. African economies have been severely damaged and growth prospects are greatly diminished. Many of the continent's developmental gains may be reversed as the fight against the pandemic takes precedence over other national priorities, like poverty eradication," Ramaphosa said.

"As we observe Africa Day, let us deepen our efforts to achieve a sustainable and lasting social and economic recovery for the citizens of Africa. Ours must become a continent that is thriving and prosperous, not one from which its people are dying in an attempt to leave," he added.

In his message to the continent, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Africa's rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage are important for sustainable development, poverty reduction, and building and maintaining peace.  These can provide a strong foundation for inclusive economic progress as the continent strives to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"COVID-19 has triggered a global recession that has exposed deep-seated inequalities and vulnerabilities.  It is endangering hard-won development gains throughout Africa and beyond.  The pandemic has also heightened the drivers of conflict by increasing inequalities and revealing the fragility of governance in many nations, particularly in the delivery of basic services such as health care, education, electricity, water and sanitation," Guterres said.

"To end the pandemic, support economic recovery and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we need to ensure equitable and universal access to COVID-19 vaccines.  Currently, there is a profound imbalance in vaccine distribution among countries.  The latest figures show that to date, African countries have received just 2 percent of vaccines. On this Africa Day, I renew my call to developed nations to stand in solidarity with Africa," he added.

In Rwanda, government officials emphasized the importance of harnessing Africa's rich heritage and culture by ensuring the arts, culture and heritage contribute significantly to growth and transformation.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the celebrations in Rwanda's capital, Kigali, on Monday, Protais Musoni, chairman of the Pan African Movement Rwanda chapter, said Africans, and especially those in the creative arts industry, need to understand that culture, arts and heritage can contribute to an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa with a strong voice on the global scene.

"A change of mindset is crucial. Arts, culture and heritage are agenda shapers. If it can be done consciously, the film you make, the song you produce, and other creations will take us to the Africa we want," Musoni said.

"Conscious leadership can be practiced by the industry. Advanced economies focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics but these days they are adding arts, culture and heritage so that this can be blended to the hard sciences to produce goods and services that quickly transform the nation," he added.