African Liberation Day

Post date: May 07, 2015 11:14:51 PM

The celebration of African Liberation Day, May 25^th is an annual holiday in various countries in Africa, and around the world, which coincides with Africa Day of the African Union.

African Liberation Day, a History:

April 15^th, 1958, in the city of Accra, Ghana, African leaders and political activists came together in brotherhood for the very first Conference of Independent African States. There were official representatives of the following countries: Egypt (then a constituent part of the United Arab Republic), Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon. This conference was essential because it represented the first modern era Pan-African conference to be held on African soil.

This Conference initiated the founding of African Freedom Day, a day to “mark each year the onward progress of the liberation movement, and to symbolize the determination of the People of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation.”

Five years later, after the first Conference of Independent African States in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, another historic meeting occurred. May 25^th, 1963, leaders of thirty-two independent African countries met to form the Organization of African Unity also known as the (OAU). By then more than two-thirds of the continent had fought for and won their independence, mostly from European countries who depleted their land of precious and valuable resources, raped, mass murdered, robbed, and forced their European languages, cultures, religious beliefs and money systems on them. During that meeting, Africa Freedom Day was changed from April 15^th, to May, 25^th, and Africa Freedom Day was proclaimed African Liberation Day (ALD).

The city of Limerick, Ireland regularly hosts a festival for Africa Day. The 2014 festival was filled with several African artists.

The Organization of African Unity (OAU; French: Organisation de l'unité africaine (OUA)) was established on May 25^th, 1963 in Addis Ababa, with 32 signatory governments. It was disbanded on July 9^th, 2002 by its last chairperson, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and replaced by the African Union (AU).