Sanlitun, 31ºC, sunny
This is a very exciting year for Africa. With the successful conclusion of the first World Cup to be hosted in Africa, South Africa, indeed the whole continent of Africa, has a lot to be proud about. What better day to demonstrate this than today, Mandela Day.
I had been tipped off by a friend that there would be an event celebrating Mandela Day at a coffee shop in Sanlitun hosted by the Young African and Professionals Society (YAPS). I was not entirely sure what to expect, but having been intrigued by the vibrant African community at UIBE, my host university, I wanted to gauge the cohesiveness of the African community across the city.
There were about 100 people squeezed into the side room of the Book Trader, a big crowd for the space. There were speeches praising the unity Africa finds in celebrating its diversity, praising the success of the World Cup, and praising the work of Nelson Mandela himself. The Chinese head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) gave a speech that drew attention to constantly improving relations between China and Africa. This is currently a hot topic in the study of international relations, and so hearing warm words towards Africa right from the horse’s mouth made this event all the more interesting.
No comments:
Post a Comment