The African Union Commission recently in collaboration with Legendary Gold Limited, Nigeria Embassy in Ethiopia and British Council welcomed delegates from around Africa and beyond to Africa Celebrates 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was 3 exciting days of celebrating African art, culture, heritage, fashion, cuisine and business with participants from 32 African countries.
Africa Celebrates 2022 was officially declared open on the first day at the Nelson Mandela Hall of the African Union.
After a short address by Lexy Mojo-Eyes, President/CEO of Legendary Gold Limited, Her Excellency Amb Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner of Agriculture, Rural Dev, Blue Economy & Sustainable environment of the African Union welcomed guests and participants. Others who gave opening remarks included His Excellency, Amb Victor Adeleke, Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mr Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of African Tourism Board and Her Excellency, Amb Nasise Challi, Ethiopian Honorable Minister of Tourism.
The grand opening of Africa Celebrates 2022 was attended by both African and foreign Ambassadors, top government functionaries from 32 participating countries, captains of industries etc.
The official opening was preceded by a High-Level Panel Discussion on the theme of Africa Celebrates 2022 “Achieving African Integration through Arts, Culture, Heritage, Tourism & Business.
This was moderated by Mr Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of Africa Tourism Board. Panelists included Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), former Nigerian Minister of Culture & Tourism. Founder and Chairman, Centre for Creative Industries, H.E Selamawit Dawit, Ethiopian State Minister of Tourism, Marketing and Promotion, H.E Hon Haidara Aїchata Cissé, Honorary Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament, Mr Christian Mbina, CEO Gabon National Tourism, Development and Promotion Agency and Farai Bayai Ncube, Regional Arts Director, Sub-Saharan Africa of British Council.
After this high panel discussion, the exhibition was officially declared open by the Ethiopian Minister of Tourism, H.E Ambassador Nasise Challi who led all the dignitaries to visit the exhibition pavilions by the participating countries.
Africa Talks Business & Investment Forum continued immediately after with Presentation of Investment Opportunities by Representatives of 4 Participating Countries (One per Region). They include Mr Christian Mbina, CEO Gabon National Tourism, Development and Promotion Agency (Central Africa), H.E Seleshi Girma , State Minister of Tourism (East Africa), Dr Wanle Akinboboye, President La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort (West Africa) and Lillian Bwalya, Director Zambia Culture and Tourism (Southern Africa).
The last Panel session of Africa Talks Business and Investment Forum titled: The Role of Friends of Africa in Boosting African Trade and investments in the Continent was moderated by Otunba Dele Oye, 1st Deputy President, The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
Panelists included H.E. Amb Ronald Micallef, Ambassador of Malta to Ethiopia, Sandy McCleery, Trade & Commercial dept, British Embassy in Addis Ababa, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), former Nigerian Minister of Culture & Tourism and Mr Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of African Tourism Board.
After the opening, the 2nd and 3rd days of Africa Celebrates 2022 moved to Skylight hotel from the African Union. The 2nd day kicked off with Africa Fashion Business Summit.
In attendance were fashion designers and entrepreneurs from all over Africa. Special Guest of honour for the Africa Fashion Business Summit was H.E. Amb Albert Muchanga, Commissioner of Trade, Industry, Entrepreneurship & Tourism of the African Union. He spoke about the need for branding and copyright.
The first panel discussion with the theme “Promoting Manufacturing in Africa as a Tool for Job Creation and Training/Building Capacity to Support Manufacturing in Africa” was moderated by Dr Oswald Chinyamakobvu of the African Union.
Panelists included Ms Jacqueline May, Design Futures Digital Lab (South Africa), Persil Telewa, Business Development Officer, Micro and Small Enterprises Authority, Kenya, Silvia Tonui – Kenya – Creative DNA programme consultant, Joyce Nyasha Chimanye, Creative Director of Zuvva, Zimbabwe and Farai Bayai Ncube, Regional Arts Director, Sub-Saharan Africa of British Council.
Africa Celebrates 2022 presented the cultural night of music, dance, cuisine and exhibition of arts, culture and heritage in the evening of the 2nd day. Performances were presented by the various participating countries while guests had the opportunity of sampling cuisines from across Africa.
The 3rd and final day were the gala fashion event where designers from across Africa showcased African inspired designs from their various countries.
Some of the designers that showcased included Zuvva from Zimbabwe, Eko Atlantic Jeans, Nigeria/UK, Eloli, Cameroon, Interfashional Africa, Zambia, Muni Designs & Epica Jewelries from Kenya, Afrosparkles, Zambia, Nadiaka, Togo, Skasebata, Zimbabwe, House of Randa, Sudan, Forest Spirit, Cameroon, Maimour from Mali, Zargue’sia, Zimbabwe just to mention a few.
The highlight of the gala fashion event was when H.E. Amb Albert Muchanga, Commissioner of Trade, Industry, Entrepreneurship & Tourism of the African Union and H.E Hon Haidara Aїchata Cissé, Honorary Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament were both honoured as Patrons of Africa Celebrates.
Africa Celebrates is aimed at celebrating Africa’s unity in diversity, foster integration through our rich cultural heritage which can be explored as a catalyst for our social economic growth, promote intra and inter African trade and tourism and encourage Africans and the rest of world to patronize “Made in Africa” by eating our food, wearing our clothes, appreciating our local music, dance and performances.
Africa Celebrates was organized and packaged by Legendary Gold Limited in collaboration with the African Union, Embassy of Nigeria in Ethiopia and Pristine Marketing Group. Partners included British Council, Coca-Cola, Ethiopian Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Culture & Sports, Tourism, Kana Tv, Kuriftu, Kennis Fm, Best Western Plus, Skylight Hotel, Mezo production, Mac Entertainment & Debredamo hotel.
Source: Africa Media Group
