Today marks the 60th anniversary of Africa Day. On May 25, 1963, as 32 heads of independent African states convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with leaders of African liberation groups to chart a course for Africa’s complete freedom from imperialism, colonialism, and apartheid.
The summit led to the creation of Africa’s first post-independence continental institution, the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The OAU was established due to the pan-African vision for a united, free, and independent continent, enshrined in its Charter, adopted on May 25, 1963, as Africa Day.
This year the annual AFRICON conference will honor this major Africa Day milestone during its weekend of events. The multi-day conference, which takes place from May 25-28 in Los Angeles, brings together leaders in culture, entertainment, business, education, and more from the global Black Diaspora. The event, presented by Amplify Africa, acknowledges and celebrates the contributions of the African Diaspora and its impact across various sectors.
“December is known as the time the Diaspora popularly gathers on the continent to connect with and celebrate their heritage. However, we believe that this connection should start here in the Diaspora,” the company said in a statement.
“We are excited to be bringing together the global Black Diaspora to celebrate their heritage, especially around a significant time as the 60th anniversary of Africa Day in Los Angeles.”
AFRICON was co-founded by Entertainment lawyers Damilare Kujembola and Timi Adeyeba, natives of Nigeria. They wanted to promote African talent in mainstream media and create a community celebrating the African Diaspora in the U.S.
Initially launched as a virtual event amid the pandemic in 2021, AFRICON has since evolved into an in-person event last year and continues this year with a fantastic line of events.
The four-day event features a range of engaging activities, such as a music festival, a marketplace of black-owned businesses, and fireside chats with industry leaders across various sectors. One of the weekend’s highlights will be the Afroball gala which will honor several notable people of African descent for their accomplishments and advancements across industries.
“The journey to connect with the continent is not a one-time thing. It’s a journey. For us, we can only hope to ignite interest within the global Black Diaspora in connecting back,” Kujembola told TravelNoire. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, but it starts from having open conversations and creating safe spaces for people to talk about stories that we, as a people, haven’t been allowed to tell.”