The Pan African Network for artistic freedom will convene in Zanzibar, Tanzania, between February 9 and 13, to launch its research and plan lobby and advocacy activities in Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kenya, The Gambia, Zambia, and Nigeria, for the year 2023.
Leaders of PANAF chapters from the eight countries will attend the high-level meeting alongside representatives from the Ministries of Culture and government agencies involved in policy making. The participants will examine the fundamental issues raised in the recently completed research, including the protection and promotion of freedoms of creativity and expression, women’s participation in cultural life, and the social and economic rights of artists and cultural workers.
The meeting will conclude with the publication of the eight research documents and the launch of the PANAF platform. The platform will serve as a safe space for creatives to share their stories and hold discussions on a variety of social and political issues that they would normally not discuss on public venues for fear of being profiled or censored. It will also be used to run advocacy campaigns and other outreach initiatives, as well as to publish resources for capacity development such as articles and podcasts. The platform’s membership recruiting process will commence in February.
The research publications and information on how one can join the PANAF network will be available at the end of February on the PANAF platform.
