Africa Day (Arts, Culture And Heritage)

Africa Day is the annual commemoration on May 25 of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). On this day, leaders of 30 of the 32 independent African states, at the time, signed a founding charter of the OAU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In 2002 the OAU established its own successor, the African Union (AU).
However, the name and date of Africa Day have been retained as a celebration of African unity. Africa Day is celebrated in various countries on the African continent and by African diaspora communities.
Africa Day is intended to celebrate and acknowledge the successes of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU now the AU) from its creation in May 25, 1963 in the fight against colonialism and apartheid, as well as the progress that Africa has made, while reflecting upon the common challenges that the continent face in a global environment.
The African Union theme for 2021 is ‘“The Arts, Culture And Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want.” In commemorating Africa Day this year, as the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, we will therefore focus on showcasing efforts by the continent’s youths towards building the Africa we want in arts, culture, heritage, innovation and entrepreneurship.