The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held a special high-level event to present the new volumes of the General History of Africa Encyclopedia at its headquarters in Paris. The event took place on 17th October 2025.
Ambassador Amr Aljowaily, Director of the Directorate for Citizens' Organizations and African Diaspora at the African Union Commission, delivered a statement in which he expressed appreciation for this initiative, which aims to preserve, promote, and disseminate Africa's intellectual and cultural heritage and embodies the shared conviction that knowledge, culture, and history are indispensable pillars of global sustainable development, peace, and unity.
Aljowaily highlighted that UNESCO's launch of the two new volumes, "African Diaspora" and "Global Africa Today," is fully in line with the African Union's current priority of enhancing engagement with the continent's diaspora and with people of African descent worldwide. He noted that this initiative supports the African Union's commitment to reclaiming the Africa’s narriative, correcting historical distortions, and present the richness, diversity, and continuity of African civilizations to the global community. Furthermore, Aljowaily emphesised that the African Union's Agenda 2063 envisions an Africa defined by a strong cultural identity, a shared heritage, and shared values and ethics complemented by the Continental Education Strategy for Africa that focuses on education rooted in African reality and responsive to the aspirations of its people.
Aljowaily emphasized that the idea of shaping the African narrative also falls within the context of the African Union's 2025 theme of "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations," revealing that the theme of "Reparations, Memory, and Sovereignty for the Recovery of Heritage Resources" is of high priority, and hence the importance of the publication of these two new volumes, which focus on "Diaspora" and "Global Africa," contribute to featuring reparations in the broadest sense of the word.
UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini highlighted the role of the General History of Africa encyclopedic volumes in making education available to all to address contemporary challenges by enabling Africans to understand their past, appreciate their identities, and shape their own narratives toward a more peaceful and sustainable future, especially by reaching young people as the most powerful agents of change if meaningfully integrated into education systems around the world. Stefania Giannini, added that the Encyclopedia includes practical guidance. It is adaptable to support countries in integrating the history of Africa and its diaspora into formal and non-formal learning environments, enhancing the soon-to-be-published pedagogical guide for teachers and educators for curriculum implementation and widespread dissemination, given that education is not limited to teaching history alone, but also involves reshaping mindsets and fostering dialogue.
For her part, Lydia Britto, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Humanities and Social Sciences, explained that the organization launched the pioneering General History of Africa project in 1964 to reconstruct African history, freeing it from the distortions of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism, and restoring its rightful place in our common human history. UNESCO officials highlighted that this project embodies UNESCO's commitment to epistemic justice and educational transformation by confronting stereotypes and decolonizing historical narratives. She noted that these resources integrate history as a science and a lived experience, at the core of which lies a transformative, anti-colonial vision of education, which must be contextualized and locally oriented. It calls for the appreciation of African languages, the integration of local knowledge, and the drawing on Africa's own philosophies. As sources of wisdom on how to live together.
Ambassador Amr Aljowaily also highlighted the role of the African Union Centre for Linguistic and Historical Studies through Oral Heritage (CELHTO), based in Niamey. “CELHTO is deeply rooted in the history of the General History of Africa project, through the collection of oral heritage, the translation of numerous volumes into African languages, and its ongoing collaboration with UNESCO and African scholarly networks to advance this pioneering intellectual project and promote the educational use of the General History of Africa in the education systems of Member States”, he added. He also noted that the publications is in line with Agenda 2063's fifth aspiration of building an Africa with a strong cultural identity, a common heritage, and shared values. “Through its partnerships with universities and research institutions, CELHTO is working to rebuild Africa's historical memory and awareness—both on the continent and throughout the diaspora—with the aim of fostering historical awareness, cultural pride, and a shared vision for Africa's future”, Aljowaily concluded.
For media enquiry:
Ms. Esther Azaa Tankou | Head, Media and Information Division and Communication Adviser of the Permanent Observer Mission of the AU to the UN | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | | E-mail: yamboue@africanunion.org | Tel: +251911361185 / +1 3478127195 (WhatsApp).
Mr. Molalet Tsedeke| Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission | Email: MolaletT@africanunion.org
