We joined African and Caribbean Elders Scotland in celebrating Africa Day with an Intergeneration Storytelling event on Saturday 25th May. Africa day is an annual celebration commemorating the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (now known as the African Union) on this day, 25 May, in 1963. Formally known as African freedom day and then African Liberation day, its origin lies in the collective African resistance to colonialism and economic exploitation. The day was, and is, intended to highlight Africa’s continued collective struggle against adversity.
The event was online and provided a stage for young children of African and Caribbean descent to express links between the built environment in Scotland and African countries. Themes explored included supported the balance between nature and buildings, African folktales and morals, African pride, plant history, slavery, colonialism and African textile making. There were nearly 40 attendees and majority of them were young children showcasing their talents from over 6 countries in Africa such as Ghana and Senegal and Scotland via Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen.
If you’d like to read more about the experiences of African and Caribbean Scots over the past 50 years, you can purchase African and Caribbean Elders Scotland’s book One Life, Two Cultures via our Diverse Heritage mini-library.