May 21, 2010 – May 25 marks Africa Day, a day dedicated to celebrating African unity and commemorating the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.
Since its inception, Africa Day has been acknowledged as a day to honour African diversity as well as the success of Africans around the world. It is also an opportunity to celebrate Africa’s contribution to the world, and its place of honour therein.
At his historic State of the Nation address on May 24, 1994, then South African President Nelson Mandela referred to Africa Day, which the country was to celebrate officially for the first time that year:
“Tomorrow, on Africa Day ... the child grown to a man will trek through all Africa ... will journey over the whole world – without a pass (the apartheid document that once shackled Africans as if they were slaves)! Tomorrow, on Africa Day, our new flag will be hoisted in an historic ceremony at the OAU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, with the OAU having already agreed to accept us as its latest member.”
The Foundation is proud that Africa Day is being celebrated throughout the world – from Atlanta in the USA, Cairo in Egypt, Dakar in Senegal, to Johannesburg in South Africa – in accordance with our Founder’s prophetic words.
We express our solidarity with Africans at home and in the Diaspora. Let us mark this day by striving to achieve peace, prosperity, mutual understanding and respect for human rights. Let Africa become the crucible of a movement for global good as espoused by the principles of Nelson Mandela International Day.