Arts and Culture to launch Africa Month tomorrow

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

The Department of Arts and Culture is set to lead Africa Month celebrations with Minister Nathi Mthethwa expected to launch the fourth edition of the commemoration in Cape Town on Tuesday.

Activities for this year’s Africa Month will be outlined at Tuesday's launch that will take place at the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town under the theme, “The Year of Nelson Mandela: Building a Better Africa and a Better World".

The Month of May is declared Africa Month to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963. It was on this date that 25 May was declared as Africa Day as a symbol of unity amongst all Africans.  

“Africa Month is conceptualised within the context of several policies and legislative instruments that guide what South Africa wants to achieve domestically and internationally. In this regard, the principles of the National Development Plan 2030 and Outcome 11 and 14 of the Medium Term Strategy Framework (MTSF) objectives become the pillars of Africa Month,” the Arts and Culture Department said on Monday.

By establishing the OAU in May1963, now known as the African Union, Africa became a pioneer by being the first continent to focus on and encourage nation building through unity and freedom from oppression, it said. –SAnews.gov.za