Africa Day
Next: May 25, 2027
Fifty-five nations, one continent's day.
The story
Where it comes from
On 25 May 1963, 32 heads of independent African states met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and signed the Charter of the Organisation of African Unity, the continent's first post-independence continental institution, and the day was declared Africa Day. The OAU worked to end colonial rule and apartheid and to build unity between African states. In July 2002 it was succeeded by the African Union, launched in Durban, South Africa, which now counts all 55 countries of the continent as members.
How it's celebrated
The African Union holds a ceremony at its headquarters in Addis Ababa. Across the continent the day brings music, dance, poetry, fashion, arts and crafts, debates and football matches, and Africans abroad gather in traditional dress to share food and recipes. Anyone can join in: cook a dish from a country you have never visited, or put on a playlist of African music.
Did you know
- Africa Day is a public holiday in several countries, including Mali, Zambia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
- The OAU Charter spoke of 'a larger unity transcending ethnic and national differences'.
- The African Union's headquarters is in Addis Ababa, the city where the OAU was founded.
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