Five things to look out for on the continent this Africa Month
MAY is Africa Month in which the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the precursor to the AU, in 1963 is commemorated.
Africa Month also allows us to reflect on the continent’s progress and the common challenges that it faces.
The aspirations of Africa are many and the sustainability of food and nutrition is high on the agenda.
The AU has appropriately themed this year’s celebration “2022: The Year of Nutrition.”
Here are five things to look out for this Africa Month.
Kenya
A few Kenyan artistes and content creators are set to share the stage with British actor Idris Elba in Nigeria for the YouTube Africa Day Concert this month, writes online Kenyan news publication The Star.
Returning for the third year in a row, the YouTube Africa Day concert is part of the Africa Month of May’s line-up. It will feature several of the continent’s finest music stars.
Wits University
A showcase of insights and African cuisine to commemorate Africa Month themed “2022: The Year of Nutrition” takes place at Wits University.
“Join the Wits Business School and partners as they share insights around this topic. Discussions will contribute to marshalling a greater and co-ordinated response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and mitigating food security challenges. Also look out for demonstrations and recipes using indigenous foods,” according to the university.
Sport, Arts and Culture
South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, launched Africa Month on May 9 at the Umoja Africa Carnival and Parade in Midrand, Joburg.
A series of events will be hosted throughout the month of May by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to celebrate Africa Month, including a celebration of Africa Day on May 25, according to the department.
Netflix
Netflix is set to showcase African talent and stories to its subscribers around the world through a collection dubbed “From Cape to Cairo” which was launched on May 1 during Africa Month. The collection is a response to calls for media houses to invest in creating the space for African content creators to share their stories about Africa to the world by supporting investment in content production and promoting
access to continental and global audiences with the aim of changing the view and narratives about Africa to the world and showcasing African talent and culture.
Africa was estimated to have a population of 1.25 billion in 2018 and is the fastest urbanising continent, with a growth rate of more than 2.6%.
The large youth population presents a potential demographic dividend that, if adequately leveraged with the right investments, could contribute to accelerating sustainable and equitable development, according to the AU.
UCT
To celebrate #AfricaMonth, UCT and the Faculty of Humanities will host a series of events during the month of May. The #AfricaMonth public lecture is scheduled for May 17 at 5.30pm for 6pm. |