“Culture is our identity. There has never been a people who have been able to rise to their
highest potential without having their culture as a means of stating who they are.” – Rocky
Dawuni
Each year, the World Day for the African and Afro-descendant Culture is celebrated on
the 24th of January in recognition of the many vibrant cultures of the African continent and
African Diaspora around the world. The event also promotes these cultures as an effective
lever for sustainable development, dialogue, and peace. Promoting the African and
Afrodescendant cultures as rich sources of the world’s shared heritage is crucial for the
development of the continent and for humanity as a whole.
Ghana’s GRAMMY-nominated musician and activist, Rocky Dawuni has been named
the Global Ambassador of the World Day of African and Afrodescendant
Culture. UNESCO adopted the 24th of January for the day at the 40th session of the
UNESCO General Conference in 2019. This date coincides with the adoption of the Charter
for African Cultural Renaissance in 2006 by the Heads of State and Government of the
African Union. Celebration of this day also aims to promote the widest possible ratification
and implementation of this Charter by African States, thereby strengthening the role of
culture in promoting peace on the continent. The Day was an initiative of Mr. John Ayite
Dossavi, President of African Network of Cultural Promoters and Entrepreneurs (RAPEC)
and backed by the Republic of Togo.
On January 24, 2022, Ghana celebrated this day with a colloquium in Accra at the
Metropolitan Assembly which was also live-streamed globally by UNESCO to stimulate the
the intellectual discourse around critical themes common to Africa and people of African descent
such as the Incorporation of the African History and Culture in Education/Curricula and in
the Creative and Cultural Industries, and Reconciliation. Rocky Dawuni delivered the
keynote address at the colloquium in the presence of invited dignitaries, stakeholders, a
gathering of traditional chiefs and queen mothers from across Ghana, as well as the general
public.
Rocky stated “I feel like today is the birth of the new Africa. Today is an ignition time and a
line in the sand as to where we leave the challenges of the past behind us. Today is an
opportunity for us to go into the future and also inspire the tree of humanity because
everybody, all of humanity, has its roots in this continent. So the strength of the continent will
be the strength of humanity.”
Watch Rocky Dawuni’s Speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yrJ0kaIPvY
Rocky Dawuni is Ghana’s first GRAMMY-nominated artist who this year is up for “Best
Global Music Album” which will take place in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. For more
information on Rocky please check out the following links:
“Voice of Bunbon, Vol. 1” Sales & Listening link:
https://tinyurl.com/yy7xo2nf
Rocky Dawuni “Woara” Video:
https://youtu.be/NQbuYWSXzsU
Rocky Dawuni “Beautiful People” Video
https://youtu.be/Upb7bjyZJeA
Rocky Dawuni “Ghost Town” Video
https://youtu.be/WIGe4-YjWWQ
**MEDIA / PRESS / RADIO: To request download link, press images, etc – please
email Cary Sullivan at afrofunke@yahoo.com
His Social Media Links:
http://www.rockydawuni.com
http://www.youtube.com/rockydawunimusic
http://www.facebook.com/rockydawuni
http://www.instagram.com/rockydawuni
http://www.twitter.com/rockydawuni
(Source: Elorm Beenie)
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