REPUBLIC OF GUINEA EMBRACES AFRIMA 2019
…As Conakry hosts African Union stakeholders’ meeting
The officials of African Union Commission (AUC) and members of the
International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) were
hosted by the government and people of the Republic of Guinea during the
African Union Stakeholders’ meeting held between Thursday, June 13 and
Saturday, June 15, 2019 in Conakry, the capital city, to propagate the
idea and objectives of AFRIMA in line with the AU Agenda 2063, Charter
for African Cultural Renaissance and the Plan of Action on Cultural and
Creative Industries.
The stakeholders’ meeting was in a bid to get the Charter for African
Cultural Renaissance ratified among Pan African countries, alongside
promoting the AFRIMA objectives and its programme of events for the 6th
edition which commenced on May 10, 2019 and culminates in the main
events in November 2019.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Sports, Guinea, received the delegation
of AU and AFRIMA officials on behalf of the government and on hand to
meet the delegation were other stakeholders from the creative and arts
industry including music professionals, music executives, members of
cultural group association, members of Guinea Dance Troupe and the
media.
The African Union and AFRIMA delegation included the Head of Culture,
African Union, Ms. Angela Martins; the President/Executive Producer,
AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada; Director General, African World Heritage Fund,
Varissou Shuaib and Director of the Observatory of Cultural policies in
Africa (OCPA), Professor Lupwishi Mbuyamba, who paid a visit to the
National Museum in Conakry where they were treated to a display of
Guinean’s rich culture and heritage, with artefacts and ancient musical
instrument reflecting the cultural journey of the Guineans.
Speaking on behalf of the ministry, Monsieur Fodeba Isto Keira, the
Secretary General/Permanent Secretary expressed happiness that the AU
and AFRIMA visited the Republic of Guinea for the purpose of entrenching
the values and opportunities in the culture and creative industry in
Africa. He pledged the support of the government and people of Republic
of Guinea to the AFRIMA initiative.
The team also paid a courtesy visit to the President of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Guinea, His Excellency, Dr. Claus Kory
Kondiano.
Addressing attendees and journalists, Mr. Dada enjoined participation of
African music lovers in the ongoing entry submission for the 6th edition
of AFRIMA, where eventual nominees compete in the 36 various categories
to win the AFRIMA 23.9 carat gold-plated trophy. He also reiterated that
entry submission of songs closes on August 2, 2019 to which some
respondents pledged to uphold the AFRIMA objectives in accordance with
the AU policy on Africa transformation through social integration, a
mission embarked upon by AFRIMA since its first edition of the awards
event in 2014
The 6th edition is a four-day packed full of exhilarating activities
scheduled to hold in November. AFRIMA, in partnership with the African
Union, is a music property that recognises and rewards the work and
talent of a myriad of African artists from the old to the new generation
of musicians. Through its conference, AFRIMA also stimulates
conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the
world about the potential of the creative arts for real humanising
enterprise on the continent, contributing significantly to social
cohesion, national, regional and continental integration as well as
sustainable development in Africa. The award show is usually broadcast
to over eighty countries around the world.