1. H.E Ms. Soraya Mouloudji, Minister of Culture and Arts of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
2. H.E Mr. Ahmed Attaf, Minister of Foreigner Affairs of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
3. Ms. Kanayo Awani, Managing Director, Intra-African Trade Initiative, AFREXIMBANK
4. Mr. Lazare Eloundo, the Representative of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Director of the World Heritage Centre
5. Members of the Technical and Advisory Committee of the Great Museum of Africa (GMA)
6. Diplomatic Corps here in Algeria
7. Representatives from AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs)
8. Artists
9. Media
10. Partners in the Arts, Culture, Creative and Heritage sectors
11.  Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Today is a very special day.  We are very happy to be here as we open the 1^st Continental Exhibition of the Great Museum of Africa (GMA), a Flagship Project of the AU Agenda 2063.  The 1^st Continental Exhibition of the GMA is being organized under the theme “Music: The Heartbeat of Africa”.

This has been a long-waited event and we are very happy and thankful that it is finally happening.  The journey to establish the Great Museum of Africa (GMA), started in Khartoum, Sudan in January 2006 when the AU adopted the Charter for the African Cultural Renaissance. The Charter for African Cultural Renaissance which entered into force in October 2020, is the main continental policy instrument of the African Union for promoting and uplifting the role of arts, culture and heritage in the development of the continent.  

From 2009 to 2016 steps were taken towards further development of the initiative. The Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria made available the site for the GMA. Algeria announced the efforts of its Government in this regard and proposed an architectural design to the 2nd Specialized Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sports (STC-YCS2) Meeting which was held in June 2016, at the AU headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  The STC-YCS2 proposed that the GMA becomes a flagship project of the AU Agenda 2063.

In July 2016, the Executive Council of the African Union approved the establishment of the Great Museum of Africa to be located in Algiers as a flagship project of the African Union Agenda 2063 in its 1st Ten Year Implementation Plan.

Excellencies,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

The launch of the 1^st Continental Exhibition of the Great Museum of Africa titled: “Music: The Heartbeat of Africa” is a milestone to reckon. It is an exhibition which brings to us closer to the music and the musical instruments of the continent. We know the pride of our continent lies on its creativity and the arts, especially its music.  In Africa music is a social activity in which almost everyone participates. Music highlights African values with various traditions accompanied by a melody. Many events of importance are celebrated with music, whether it is a marriage, a birth or a ceremonial rite.  Music is also a tool and instrument that brings us together and can contribute to promoting social cohesion, peace building and togetherness.

This exhibition we are launching today will be a golden opportunity for us and all Africans to know the history of our music and musical instruments, since African music was first recorded by Egyptian musicians in the 3^rd Millennium BC. 

The African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want in its Aspiration 5 we envision an Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics Pan-Africanism and the common history, destiny, identity, heritage, respect for religious diversity and consciousness of African people’s and her diaspora’s will be entrenched.  Since the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want is our blueprint for development, it is clear that we now have the Great Museum of Africa whose main aim is to promote the Pan-African and African Renaissance drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity of our beloved continent.

To achieve what we want within the span of forty (40) years, we need collective efforts from multi sectors within the African Union Member States and the diaspora. One of them is to harness the linkage of arts, culture and heritage to African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In terms of numbers of participating countries, AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organization. AfCFTA is there to accelerate intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The GMA project to be accomplished requires both financial and human support of all AU Member States, international development partners, and particularly people of African descent across the world. There are benefits to gain by supporting the GMA initiative as it promotes African heritage, history and other creative sectors which collectively boost our economies. It is my plea that we dedicate our resources both financial and human, to make this Flagship Project of the African Union Agenda 2063 are reality for all of us to cherish.

Thank you very much for joining us in this celebration and for your kind attention!  Enjoy the 1^st Continental Exhibition of the Great Museum of Africa (GMA), join us in this wonderful journey.