Africa Day Dialogue

The University of the Free State Office for International Affairs will be hosting its sixth annual Africa Day commemoration. The 2023 commemoration will take place on the Bloemfontein Campus. This year’s dialogue will be embodied under the theme ‘Promoting and appreciating knowledge in and from Africa’. The commemoration will embrace artistic expressions, music, dance, poetry, and meaningful conversations that will provide elements of reflection and discourse.

This year’s theme aims to discuss the meaning and value of African indigenous knowledge, the importance of being creators and co-creators of knowledge in and from Africa, and the importance of African knowledge on the international stage. Of importance is the celebration of African ways of being, knowing, and relating. We will highlight African indigenous knowledge and the relevance of higher education in South Africa and beyond, the interpretation/transfer of African indigenous knowledge through music and dance, considering internationalisation of African knowledge without compromising Africa’s ability to integrate and engage on a global level, the creation of African publishing spaces, and the UFS’ approach to promoting African-produced knowledge and epistemological diversity. The interactive session will host a panel from different intellectual backgrounds that will speak to the UFS community about the theme of the day, accompanied by drama and musical plays in celebration of Africa Day.