Addis Ababa, September 29, 2024 (FBC) – The International Forum of UNESCO Chairs and Partners convened by the African Union Commission and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is set to commence in Addis Ababa on 30th of September 2024.
Organised by UNESCO under the patronage of Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, this meeting aims to strengthen interdisciplinary and collaborative research capacity in Africa, including through more inclusive and effective South-South and South-South-North research partnerships.
The event will be convened from Monday 30 September to Wednesday 2 October 2024, under the theme “Transforming Knowledge for Africa’s Future”.
The future of humanity is inextricably linked to Africa’s future. Yet, established narratives around the future of the continent continue to reflect the long-standing imbalances in knowledge production and in academic research on Africa. Research remains largely dominated by institutions in, or with close links to, the Global North. Reframing the narrative around Africa’s future requires the mobilization of diverse knowledge traditions.
Pursuant to the Forum’s theme, transforming knowledge systems is deemed by UNESCO as crucial for Africa to overcome the existing barriers and unlock its full potential for sustainable development. The opportunities offered to younger generations for many decades to come will be shaped by how well Africa harnesses knowledge and innovation. There is therefore need for a paradigm shift in how knowledge is generated, shared, and used in Africa, paving the way for a more just, sustainable, and prosperous future.
The co-construction of a shared research agenda for the future of Africa must draw from diverse yet complementary forms of knowledge, perspectives, and contexts. It implies interdisciplinary, inter-sectoral, cross-cultural, and forward-looking approaches nourished by diverse ecologies of knowledge, that includes valuing and integrating indigenous knowledge systems.