Africa Day will go virtual this year with a star-studded benefit concert hosted by English actor Idris Alba, an online how-to video for jollof rice, and a U.N. call for a global ceasefire issued by the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
African countries have “demonstrated commendable leadership” battling the COVID-19 pandemic, he said in a Monday message, “but more nations across the continent where conflict prevails should heed the UN call for a global ceasefire to push back the deadly virus.”
Africa Day is observed annually on May 25 to commemorate the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) which was created on May 25, 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Besides celebrating Africa’s decolonization, Africa Day is also a time of sober reflection on how African countries can consolidate peace and democracy on the continent.
The U.N. leader welcomed support for his global ceasefire call which reflects the African Union’s 2020 theme: “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.”
