A pan-African initiative ‘We Are!’ has been launched to smash stereotypes and reshape narratives related to Africa by using art and technology. COP27, also known as ‘Africa’s COP’ is to take place in Egypt next month, so there has never been a better time for the continent to raise its voice in climate discourse.
The initiative harnesses the power of art, technology, journalism and research to advocate for African-led development bridging the gap between people and policies.
The initiative was launched by Crtve Development (CD), a pan-African social agency that champions change on the African continent through storytelling and campaigning on key issues.
Crtve Development CEO Dr. Okito Wedi told The Egyptian Mail that the initiative is hoped to inspire young people from affected communities to take climate action through their participation in workshops, showcases, inclusive partnerships and dialogue.
“By unleashing their creative potential, the campaign will enable the youth to retell the story of ‘the Africa we want to see’. Their collective voices will help to place vulnerable communities at the centre of the call for climate justice on the African continent,” Wedi said.
‘We Are!’ is not just a campaign but a movement to inspire young people across the continent to share their vision of the Africa they want to see. Therefore, the significance of the campaign name is to ignite change, Wedi said.
“The movement is calling on African youth to voice their demands for climate justice and show the world who ‘We Are’,” she said.
Climate justice is also at heart of the campaign’s action plan as this issue is one of the least understood and in contemporary African development.
“Through the campaign, we want to harness the power of art and creativity to change the narrative on climate change and development in Africa and bridge the gap between communities who will most be affected and policymakers who will determine our climate future,” she explained.
“The story of climate justice on the African continent cannot be written without Africans. Under our theme of ‘The Africa We Want To See’, we aim to broaden the narrative of climate justice and centre important policy issues affecting communities and nations at COP27.
“Furthermore, in line with Agenda 2063, we want to enable emerging artists to show and tell the world about the climate-just Africa we want to see in the next decade.”
The first We Are! event was on Earth Day 2022 in partnership with the Danish Embassy, showing how conversation, art, music and poetry are powerful vehicles for social change. The event included a curated art exhibition featuring the works of several emerging South African artists.
In May 2022, Crtve Development (CD) hosted a dialogue with Danish Minister of Development and Co-operation and Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Flemming Møller Mortensen in Cape Town.
CD in partnership with the World Resource Institute (WRI), held a dialogue at the 2022 Sustainable Energy for All Summit looking at leveraging the power of media, technology and creativity in climate advocacy. “We joined youth activists around the world in calling for action on climate justice, gender and a sustainable energy transition for Africa.”
More amazingly, CD in partnership with Africa No Filter, selected five creative hubs in certain countries including South Africa and Egypt.
“These hubs offer physical or digital spaces that host creatives, provide capacity building, training opportunities, as well as networking. Each creative hub will curate a series of pop-up showcases resembling “The Africa We Want To See” in the most climate-vulnerable places in Africa.”
The campaign aims to build a pan-African voice on climate justice during the United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP 27) and beyond.
“We plan to host a pop-up showcase that will resemble climate justice in the context of “The Africa We Want To See” in the first-ever COP Youth Lounge in the Blue Zone. This will include exhibitions and creative installations, using art and creativity as a tool expressing the demands for adaptation and mitigation in communities most affected by climate change.
Though the campaign is still in its infancy, it has been receiving incredible reactions.
“The We Are! movement is giving young Africans an opportunity to speak their minds, lead the conversation, and share their solutions on their terms.”
In future, CD is planning an online music competition for emerging African artists about climate injustice and ‘The Africa We Want to See’.
“We would like to host a climate justice arts festival for African youth.”
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