2024-07-28 22:58:28
This colorful celebration, which took place in the presence of a group of personalities from various backgrounds, is intended to be an opportunity to highlight African cultural wealth but also a space for debate around the challenges facing the continent.
Speaking on this occasion, the director of art and culture at the education, training and culture division of the Foundation, Hassan Ez Zaim, indicated that “this day, adopted by UNESCO on January 24, 2006, offers each year the opportunity to highlight the rich and varied cultural dynamics that make Africa strong.”
“Morocco, as a crossroads of civilizations, itself bears witness to this diversity and the deep ties that unite African nations through their cultures,” he stressed, recalling that “His Majesty King Mohammed VI wisely underlined the importance of African cultural wealth during his speech to the African Union in 2017, while affirming that Africa must be proud of its resources, its cultural heritage and its spiritual values.”
Mr. Ez Zaim further added that the rich and diverse cultural programming of this meeting will highlight, even if only partially, the successes and challenges of contemporary African culture.
For her part, the president of the Africa Women’s Forum association, Naima Korchi, said that as a committed activist, it is very important to organize this kind of initiative dedicated to the promotion of African cultural richness and diversity, explaining that “this day aims to raise awareness, preserve and transmit this culture not only among the populations of the continent, but also among the children of the diaspora, especially those living outside the continent.”
Mrs. Korchi also highlighted the essential role of women in the transmission and promotion of African culture, particularly among young people, adding that over the years African women have become a model of leadership in several areas.
“Women are the guardians of culture, given the central role they play in society and households in preserving and transmitting cultures and traditions,” she added, explaining that they often assume the responsibility of transmitting cultural values from generation to generation, as central figures in daily life.
For his part, the administrator of the Chair of African Literature and Arts under the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco, Eugène Ébodé, indicated that “Africa in its diversity in terms of territories, landscapes, populations and cultures offers an enchanting spectacle from the moment when culture plays a unifying role.”
Mr. Ébodé, in this sense, underlined the historical scope of culture which represents a heritage that comes from afar, explaining that this reflection reinforces the feeling of belonging to a cultural lineage and underlines the importance of preserving this heritage so that future generations can benefit from it.
This cultural event was also punctuated by exhibitions, book signings, as well as conferences and debates, led by Moroccan and African academics, in addition to experts in different fields related to culture.
2024-07-28 22:58:28