The 2018 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) annual calendar of programmes will be unveiled on Monday, May 21, 2018 by the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with Government of the Republic of Ghana, and the International Committee of AFRIMA during a world media event and music conference scheduled for Accra, organisers have announced.
Part of the agenda for the calendar unveiling of the fifth annual edition of AFRIMA is a courtesy visit to the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, who is set to receive African delegates and music stars attending the event from around Africa.
The delegation will include Head of Culture, African Union, Mrs. Angela Martins; President/Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada; Director, Brand Communications, AFRIMA; Ms. Matlou Tsotetsi; AFRIMA Regional Director; Western Africa, Mr. Don Obilor, the Ghanaian-UK AFRIMA Juror, (representing UK-Diaspora) and BBC-1 show host, Ms. Rita Ray and the AFRIMA Country Director, Ghana, Mr. Francis Doku.
Also participating at the event are past AFRIMA nominees and winners, music professionals and executives, creative/culture industry policymakers, members of the media industry and other award-winning recording artistes living in Ghana and in other African countries.
Commenting on the event in line with government’s objective to develop sustainable tourism pivoted on Ghanaian arts and culture, Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku, said: “Arts and culture, as a sector, remains one of Africa’s greatest strengths. As well as being a source of values, identity and a sense of belonging, the creative industries have become a driver of economic growth and job creation. In agreeing to host the AFRIMA 2018 calendar unveiling, the Government of Ghana is motivated by the need to harness the potential of the creative sector of Ghana to promote national and regional tourism. We congratulate the African Union for lending its weight behind this laudable effort.”
Speaking on the collaborative work by the African Union and the International Committee of AFRIMA to create inventive solutions to achieving the AU Charter for African Cultural Renaissance and the Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries, the Acting Director for Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Madam Mariama Cisse revealed that partnerships with member AU states such as Ghana further galvanise the achievement of the AU policy on Africa transformation through social integration.
AFRIMA will roll out the 2018 calendar under the theme “Africa is Music”. The calendar features back-to-back events traversing several countries in the five regions of Africa. Some of these planned events include music/culture conferences; country visits to converse with critical music/culture industry stakeholders and high-octane music concerts tagged “Turn up Africa” which objective is to connect fans and followers of African music with their favourite Africa music stars of the traditional and contemporary genres.
