Commemoration of the founding of the African Union
| Africa Day |
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| Observed by | Member states of the African Union |
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| Type | International; cultural and historical |
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| Significance | Anniversary of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity |
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| Date | 25 May |
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| Next time | 25 May 2026 (2026-05-25) |
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| Frequency | annual |
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| Related to | African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day |
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Africa Day (formerly African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day) is the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organization of African Unity on 25 May 1963.[1] It is celebrated in various countries in Africa as well as around the world.[2] The organization was replaced by the African Union on 9 July 2002, but the holiday continues to be celebrated on 25 May.
Background
[edit] The First Congress of Independent African States was held in Accra, Ghana on 15 April 1958. It was convened by the Prime Minister of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and comprised representatives from Egypt (then a constituent part of the United Arab Republic), Ethiopia, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon, and the host country, Ghana.. The Union of South Africa was not invited. The conference showcased progress of liberation movements on the African continent in addition to symbolizing the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation. Although the Pan-African Congress had been working towards similar goals since its foundation in 1900, this was the first time such a meeting had taken place on African soil.[3]
The conference called for the founding of an African Freedom Day, a day to "...mark each year the onward progress of the liberation movement, and to symbolize the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation."[4]
The conference was notable in that it laid the basis for the subsequent meetings of African heads of state and government during the Casablanca Group and the Monrovia Group era, until the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.[5]
History
[edit] Five years later, on 25 May 1963, representatives of thirty African nations met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, hosted by Emperor Haile Selassie. By then more than two-thirds of the continent had achieved independence, mostly from imperial European states. At this meeting, the Organization of African Unity was founded, with the initial aim to encourage the decolonization of Angola, Mozambique, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia. The organization pledged to support the work conducted by freedom fighters, and remove military access to colonial nations. A charter was set out which sought to improve the living standards across member states. Selassie exclaimed, "May this convention of union last 1,000 years."[6]
The charter was signed by all attendees on 26 May, with the exception of Morocco.[a] At that meeting, Africa Freedom Day was renamed Africa Liberation Day.[4] In 2002, the OAU was replaced by the African Union. However, the renamed celebration of Africa Day continues to be celebrated on 25 May in respect to the formation of the OAU.[7]
Contemporary celebrations
[edit] Africa Day continues to be celebrated both in Africa and around the world, mostly on 25 May (although in some cases these periods of celebrations can be stretched out over a period of days or weeks).[8][9] Themes are set for each year's Africa Day, with 2015's being the "Year of Women's Empowerment and Development towards Africa's Agenda 2063". At an event in New York City in 2015, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jan Eliasson, delivered a message from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in which he said, "Let us... intensify our efforts to provide Africa's women with better access to education, work and health care and, by doing so, accelerate Africa's transformation".[10] The slogan of the 2023 Africa Day celebration was "Our Africa Our Future".[11] The theme of 2024 Africa Day celebration is "Education Fit for the 21st Century".[12]
Sixth region and diaspora observances
[edit] Africa–Caribbean (CARICOM) Day
[edit] See also: Afro-Caribbean people
In 2021 the Republic of Kenya hosted the first joint African Union summit along with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region virtually.[13] To commemorate this event it was decided that September 7,[14][15] would be celebrated annually as Africa-CARICOM Day throughout the Caribbean to recognize and strengthen linkages between CARICOM and Africa.[16][17] The first of August has been celebrated as African Emancipation Day throughout much of the British Empire from the Trans-Atlantic African Slave Trade[18] and the addition of Africa Day in the Caribbean has to come to be regarded as part of an observance known as the 'Season of Emancipation' across the Caribbean countries.
See also
[edit] 
Africa portal
- .africa
- African diaspora
- List of ethnic groups of Africa
- African independence movements
- Decolonisation of Africa
- Pan-Africanism
- International Day of the African Child
[edit] Notes
[edit] - ^ Morocco's delegation was present in an observatory capacity only, due to the attendance of Mauritania and the ongoing border dispute with that nation.[6]
References
[edit] - ^ Tutu, Bongiwe (25 May 2017). "10 Things to Know About Africa Day". Africa.com. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
- ^ Yarde, Jennifer, ed. (21 May 2024). "Africa Day To Be Celebrated On May 24". Prime Minister's Office. www.gisbarbados.gov.bb (Press release). Barbados: Government of Barbados. Government Information Service. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024. The National Library Service, in association with the Division of Culture, Prime Minister's Office, will celebrate Africa Day on Friday, May 24, at the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex, The University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- ^ "The History of Africa Liberation Day"; TheTalkingDrum.com; accessed May 2017
- ^ a b "African Liberation Day: A Celebration of Resistance". Pambazuka News. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ jonas (24 May 2012). "The History of Africa Day – 25 May". South African History Online. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ a b "1963: African States Unite Against White Rule". BBC On This Day. 25 May 1963. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ Allison, Simon (26 May 2015). "Africa Day: Is the African Union worth celebrating?". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Africa Day 2021 | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ "Kakadu for Africa Day celebrations". The Nation. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Africa Day 2015 Celebrated in New York". United Peace Federation. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Commemoration of Africa Day, May 25, 2023". African Union. Archived from the original on 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Celebrating Africa Day with the Theme: Education Fit for the 21st Century". African Union. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Staff writer (7 September 2023). "2nd Anniversary of the Africa – CARICOM Day". mfa.go.ke (Press release). Gov. of the Republic of Kenya. Ministry of Foreign & Diaspora Affairs. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
- ^ Patterson, Percival James (6 September 2024). "Message from the P.J. Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy – Africa-CARICOM Day". www.caricom.org. Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024. Four years ago, on September 7, 2021 the first Africa Caribbean (CARICOM) Summit was hosted virtually by the Republic of Kenya in the aftermath of a 2003 Declaration by the African Union (AU) of its Diaspora as the sixth region of Africa. That Summit decided to establish September 7 as Africa Caribbean Day.
- ^ Carrington, Julie, ed. (7 March 2022). "Africa-CARICOM Day Celebrations Likely On September 7". Prime Minister's Office. www.gisbarbados.gov.bb (Press release). Barbados: Government of Barbados. Government Information Service. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2024. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has suggested that Africa-CARICOM Day should be celebrated on September 7, in recognition of the first-ever Africa-Caribbean Summit aimed at forging stronger social and economic ties between the two global communities. Speaking during Ghana's 65th Independence Anniversary celebrations at the Cape Coast Stadium on Sunday, Ms. Mottley told the thousands gathered that African Caribbean Solidarity received a new boost on September 7, when the first African- CARICOM caucus was organised by the Presidents of Ghana and Kenya, Nana Akfuo-Addo and Uhuru Kenyatta, respectively.
- ^ Brathwaite, Deidre (7 September 2023). "Strengthening Bonds: Africa-CARICOM Day Celebrated on September 7". Caribbean Export. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Staff writer (7 September 2023). "September 7 is Africa-CARICOM Day: The UWI marks the celebration with hybrid public forum and cultural dress day". News and Events. Jamaica: University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Ghouralal, Darlisa (18 April 2024). "African Emancipation Day: August 1 holiday renamed". Loop News. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
Further reading
[edit] - Allardt, Helmut; European Economic Community (1959). The tasks and the aims of the European Economic Community in Africa : lecture given on the occasion of Africa Day at the German Industries Fair, Hanover, 30 April 1959. Brussels : Publications Dept. of the European Communities. OCLC 883719446.
- Mugabe, Robert Gabriel; Zimbabwe. Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunications (1987). Address delivered to the Nation by Cde R.G. Mugabe, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, on Africa Day, 25 May 1987. Policy statement. Causeway, Zimbabwe : Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunications. OCLC 180493758.
- Ginkel, J. A. van; Court, Julius; Langenhove, Luk van; United Nations University; Africa Day Symposium on Integrating Africa (2003). Integrating Africa : perspectives on regional integration and development. Tokyo : United Nations University. OCLC 800928725.
- Bond, Patrick (2004). South Africa and global apartheid : continental and international policies and politics : address to the Nordiska Afrikainstitutet Nordic Africa Days, Uppsala, Sweden 4 October 2003. Discussion paper / Nordiska Afrikainstitutet = Scandinavian Institute of African Studies. Nordiska Afrikainstitutet. Discussion Paper, ISSN 1104-8417; 25.
- Grayson, Taylor. "Videos from Africa Day 2014 in Limerick". Today.ie. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014.
- Staff writer (8 September 2024). "NGO: African, Caribbean countries must affirm 'Right to Development'". tt.loopnews.com. Loop Caribbean. Retrieved 29 September 2024. In a statement for Africa-CARICOM Day, observed on September 7, 2024, the group said the first Africa/CARICOM Summit held on September 7, 2021, saw the tabling of several issues such as the removal of double taxation, direct flights between the Caribbean and African countries, reviewing whether travel visas are needed between African and Caribbean countries.
External links
[edit] 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Africa Day.
- Africa Day (African Union website)
- List of holidays – African Union
- Africa–Caribbean Day (Caribbean Community – CARICOM Secretariat website) – Various collection of statements, press releases, summit communiques, photos.
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| Season of Emancipation in Barbados (14 April to 23 August) |
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- Anniversary of Bussa's rebellion
- National Heroes Day
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- Africa Day
- Day of National Significance
- Emancipation Day
- birthday of Marcus Garvey
- International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Africa Day. 