This past weekend, ONE Senegal hosted its inaugural Africa Day celebration at two iconic locations in Dakar. The day-long event brought together thought leaders, artists, and community members for meaningful conversations about Africa’s past, present, and future.
Keep reading for a closer look at what happened.
A monumental beginning
The celebration kicked off at the African Renaissance Monument, where ONE Champions gathered for a symbolic photo session. The monument, representing Africa’s emergence from centuries of struggle, provided the perfect backdrop to launch our Africa Day activities.
Intergenerational dialogue at Afrothèque
The main event took place at Afrothèque, Dakar’s cultural hub and library, where an engaging panel discussion featured three distinguished speakers:
- Oumar Massaly, publisher and founder of ELMA African publishing house
- Djibril Fall, an avid reader and Afrothèque regular who has read over 4,000 books
- Dr. Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Abdul Gueye, a historian
The discussion centered around key themes crucial to Africa’s identity and future:
- Freedom and liberation movements across the continent
- The importance of preserving ancestral cultural traditions
- Ongoing fights for justice and recognition
- The rich landscape of African literature
- The youth’s vital role in transforming Africa’s narrative
Throughout the event, participants shared their visions for Africa’s future through an interactive activity, where they wrote down their aspirations and hopes for the continent.
Celebrating Africa Day through art
The discussions were followed by artistic performances, with poets and kora musicians, bringing traditional and contemporary African creative expression to life. These performances reminded everyone of the essential role arts play in preserving and evolving African cultural heritage.
The poet performed a piece that was a Tribute to Africa’s Cultural Heritage. It was a passionate celebration of Africa’s rich history, culture, and influential figures. It began with enthusiastic expressions, like “Long live the mosaic of Eden!” and “Long live AFRICA, AFRICA terra-belle,” emphasizing the author’s deep admiration for the African continent. The poem also described a living, resilient Africa, and the intrinsic link with literature, the power of words and music, and a call to unity and pride.
The kora musicians’ performance offered an ancestral musical journey that united those present in the hall.
The events of the day provided an excellent opportunity to introduce ONE’s mission to attendees and explain how our Africa Day celebration connects to our broader work of shifting narratives about Africa. By highlighting African-led solutions and stories of progress, ONE aims to change how the world sees and engages with the continent.
Looking forward
As we collected feedback from participants, one thing became clear: events like these that combine cultural celebration with substantive dialogue are essential for building the Africa we want to see. The intergenerational nature of the conversations particularly highlighted how important it is for wisdom from the past to guide innovation for the future.
ONE Senegal’s Africa Day celebration was just the beginning of what we hope will become an annual tradition of reflection, connection, and action toward a more prosperous and self-determined Africa.
