Anikwe emerges president of Pan-Africa Cultural Congress

THE Pan-African Cultural Congress (PACC4) in collaboration with the government of South Africa has appointed Sir Ferdinand Ikechukwu Anikwe as new president of the association.

The decision was made public after African Union Commission (AUC) held the grand finale of the congress at Santon Convention Centre, South Africa in collaboration with the government of the Republic of South Africa, Department of Arts and Culture (DAC).

The event was held to create a platform for cultural experts and practitioner to dialogue and make recommendations on policy issues pertaining to the culture and arts sectors in the continent.

This year edition was titled: “Unity in Cultural Diversity for African’s Development,” with intention to promote local arts and cultural festivals in Africa.

In a paper delivered at the event entitled: “Multiculturalism, A Critical Perspective,” Anikwe noted that cultural diversity of member states should be a source of economic transformation among them.

He said member countries must use the opportunity to explore huge potentials of diverse African culture and translate to boost the economy of member states for the benefit of the people of the continent.

He said: “Cultural diversity is the quality of diverse of different cultures, as opposed to monoculture. This cultural diversity can also be referring to having different cultures respect each other’s differences.

Hence, there is need to promote cultural diversity. “There is need to expand and promote local arts and cultural festivals, and to invite participants from other countries to foster integration and tolerance between cultures.

“We must ensure that we put an end to the suppression of one group by another. Member states media platforms to foster understanding, appreciation and tolerance and to enrich the debate about development and peace,” Anikwe said.

On his tenure billed to end in 2018, Anikwe noted that he will use the time to form cultural collaboration among member states for promotion of peace and economic development in the continent.

He posited that he would use the period to lay a solid foundation for the African Union Agenda 2063 framework for unity, prosperity and development of the continent culture for the next 50 years.

According to him, the member state should have at the back of their minds that I will use my tenure to form synergy among member states and explore huge potentials of diverse African cultures and translate it to wealth to boost economy of the region.