WHAT: AFRICA DAY CELEBRATION by the AU Permanent Mission in Brussels
WHEN: Tuesday, 25 May 2021
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vwp6ByX-T_GJARAPdoUxIw
TIME: 9.30 am–4.00pm Brussels Time
WHY: The Permanent Mission of the African Union together with the African Group of Ambassadors in Brussels in partnership with the “African Tales” Initiative and the Diaspora organize an online celebration of the Africa Day 2021 around the African Union’s theme of the year: “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa we Want”. Experts, Academia and practitioners will be invited to provide insights in their respective fields of activities of interest to the African continent and her diaspora. An initiative named “African Tales” organised through the support of local community representatives, Youth and diaspora, from all walks of life will be formally launched on this occasion. This is a Diaspora led effort intended to instil pride and a strong sense of identity among Africans by promoting the African Cultural Heritage & History.

OPENING SESSION:
- Ambassador Awad Sakine Ahmat, Permanent Representative of the African Union to the EU;
- H.E Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the AUC (to be confirmed);
- Ms. Bwalya Mwali –African Tales Initiative;
- Hon. Iratxe Garcia Pérez, MEP, President Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament ;
- H.E Abdulhafed GADDUR, Ambassador, Head of the Mission of Libya to the EU, Chairman of the African Group Ambassadors in Brussels.

SPEAKERS:
- Prof. Carlos Lopes, AU High Representative on Partnerships, Former Executive Secretary UNECA;
- H.E Amb. Said DJINNIT, Former AU Commissioner Peace and Security;
- H.E Kokou Nayou M’Beou , Ambassador of Togo in Brussels;
- Ms. Dominic Day, Chairperson, UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent;
- Mr. TUBLU Komi N’Kégbé Fogâ, Coordinator of the Center for Linguistic and Historical Studies by Oral Tradition (CELHTO-UA), Niamey, Niger;
- Mr. Mario ATTIDOKPO, Lecturer of Didacticts and Performing Arts, University of Lome, Togo ;
- Dr. Oussouby Sacko, President, Kyoto Seika University, Japan;
- Pr. Hamady Bocoum, Director, Museum of black civilization, Senegal.
PANELISTS:
- Ms. Marie-Chantal Uwitonze, President of the African Diaspora Network-Europe (ADNE);
- M. Kodjo Degbey, CEO/Founder Bel Afrika TV (African diaspora television in Belgium);
- Ms. Adelaide HIRWE, Secretary General of the African Union-Diaspora Youth Initiative (AU-DYI).
- Ms. Modi Ntambwe, Human Rights Expert, Co-founder, PAD Belgium, Observatory.
- Dr. Mylène Lecoq Bamboche, Lecturer of Psychology and Education, University of Mauritius, Maurice ;
- Dr. Ahmed Reid, Professor History, Jamaica;
- Dr. DeRico Symonds, Director Diversity, University Nova Scotia, Canada.
- M. Märt Aro, Founder/Co-founder, Nordic Edtech Forum-n8 and DreamApply ;
- Ms. Salome Catherine Rihata; Traditional Leader, Entrepreneur/ Co-founder, Halia Hunkatun Foundation,Papua New Guinea;
- Ambassador David Comissiong, Barbados;
- M. Raymond Lawrence, Director of Culture, Dominica;
- M. Prince Lekan Fadina, Director, Ijemo Gallery, Nigeria ;
- Ms. Edna Mendes, Executive Director, Casas Morabeza, Cabo Verde;
- M. Khulekani Msweli, Director, JEREMPAUL, Eswatini;
- M. Kesheniwa Aghaji, Artist/Researcher, United Kingdom;
- Ms. Yvonne Apiyo Brändle-Amolo, Member of Parliament/Co-President of the migrant section of the Social Democratic Party, Switzerland;
- Kensy Sambola, Lecturer, Anthropology and Human Development, URACCAN, Nicaragua.
MODERATORS:
- Morning: M. Eric M’BOUA, Master of Ceremony/Host of Forum Awards, TV-Radio-Event (TV5,Canal+ RTI 2 etc.), Abidjan-Montreal-Paris.
- Afternoon: Ms. Ayoko Mensah, Artistic Officer, Palais des Beaux-Arts Bruxelles (BOZAR);
- Ms Grace Bashige, Journalist, Blackbae Magazine, Uganda.

COORDINATORS: M. Elias Yala YalaE@africa-union.org; M. Linda Gumede Gumedel@africa-union.org; Mrs. Bwalya Mwali, M. Steven Blackman, M. Francois Mark, info@africantales.org

For more information contact: Mrs. Bwalya Mwali African Tales, M. Elias Yala, M. Linda Gumede, Mme Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Division | Information and Communication Directorate (DIC), AUC E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org / DIC@africa-union.org, M. Kodjo Degbey, CEO Bel Afrika TV manager@belafrika.be

Join via zoom: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vwp6ByX-T_GJARAPdoUxIw

Live stream

• https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission/
• https://www.youtube.com/user/AUCommission
• https://twitter.com/_AfricanUnion
• Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/AfricanTalesinstitute
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FZBkcOA6jI&ab_channel=REACHRIGHT
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/african-tales-institution-0a289b203/

Languages: French, English, and Arabic through interpretation.
Media Q&A
Journalists and participants may submit questions through Zoom Chat Box.

Media inquiries:

African Union Permanent Mission to the EU
Tel: +3223469747/Fax +3223469728| Email: africanunion@skynet.be / au-brussels@africa-union.org