To celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity, established on May 25, 1963, in Addis Ababa and became the African Union in 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation organizes an annual “Africa Day”.
For the 2026 edition of the upcoming “Africa Day,” the MAECI—in collaboration with the Treccani Cultura Foundation, the Institute for Italy-Africa Dialogue, and the ICE Agency—has launched an initiative dedicated to sports as a universal language capable of fostering authentic connections between peoples and cultures, and as a catalyst for growth and development.
The event, “Africa Day: Italy – Africa: Cultures in Play,” will take place starting at 10:00 a.m. on May 25 at the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia Institute.
The initiative represents a strategic opportunity aimed at strengthening relations between the two organizations and exploring the theme of sport as a means of bringing people together, fostering dialogue, shaping identity, and promoting sustainable growth.
The opening session will feature a speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, introduced by remarks from the President of the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia Institute, Carlo Ossola, and the President of the Scientific Committee of the Institute for Italy-Africa Dialogue, Vincenza Lomonaco.
This will be followed by remarks from the Ambassador of the State of Eritrea and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in Italy, Fessahazion Pietros Menghistu, and from Firmin Edouard Motoko, a member of the IDIAF Scientific Committee and former Deputy Director-General of UNESCO’s Africa and External Relations Department.
The proceedings, which will feature prominent figures from the Italian and African sports worlds, will continue with three panel discussions: “Sport as a shared heritage: identity, memory, and intercultural dialogue,” “Sport and education: training, mobility, and new opportunities for young people,” and “Sport and economic development: supply chain, innovation, and cooperation.”
Watch the event live at the following link:“Italia-Africa: culture in gioco” in occasione della Giornata dell’Africa – YouTube
