Houston Africa Day
Africa Day was first held in 1963 in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, when 32 countries formed the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU). In the more than half a decade since, 21 additional countries have joined the OAU, with South Africa the last country to join in 1994 after Apartheid ended.
The OAU’s original mission was to bring freedom to African countries that were still under colonial rule in the 60s, defend their sovereignty, uphold human rights and restore the dignity of the African people. Nowadays, Africa Day is a national holiday in a handful of countries and is widely celebrated by Africans.
Houston Africa Day is an evening networking reception which serves to bring together African community/business leaders, international partners, city elected officials, etc. to create awareness of Africa’s global importance as well as the many contributions Houstonians of African descent have made to Houston. The event highlights various vendors that donate food and beverages, live music and dancing, fashion show, comedy acts, and visual arts, in order to create an atmosphere that embraces Houston’s cultural diversity.
Houston is Africa’s largest U.S. trade partner and is home to a significant number of African residents. This event helped celebrate African unity, acknowledge and celebrate the presence of the African diaspora communities, emphasize Africa’s cultural and business impact on Houston, better promote and connect to African communities, increase cultural awareness in Houston, and more importantly, raise awareness about the importance of intercultural dialogue, diversity, and inclusion.