To mark Africa Day, the Directorate of Cultural and Scientific Relations of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) is organizing several activities on May 25 and 27 that invite participants to explore the continent through the richness of its own voices, memories, and narratives.
KNOWING, PRESERVING, AND TELLING THE STORY OF AFRICA FROM AFRICA
Under this title, the event on Monday, May 25, will feature two discussions offering a pluralistic and contemporary perspective on Africa, positioning cultural heritage and literature as fundamental spaces for dialogue, exchange, and cooperation.
The first session, “Landscapes, Memories, and Communities: Cultural Heritage in Africa” (6:00 p.m.), will include the participation of Ana Sánchez Salcedo, Cultural Heritage Cooperation Officer at AECID, who will present some of the Agency’s most recent projects through its Heritage for Development Program. From the urban cultural landscape of Tetouan and Ethiopia’s coffee tradition, to the revitalization of museums in Mauritania and Mali, the cultural routes of Cape Verde, and the preservation of photographic and film heritage in Senegal and Mozambique, these initiatives demonstrate the role of African cultural heritage as an engine of sustainable development and as a tool for strengthening shared identities and ties between communities. The session will also feature Abdoul Sow, director of the Center for Scientific Research and Documentation (CRDS) at the Université Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis, Senegal.
Following this, “Libros del Baobab: Reading Africa Through Their Own Voices” (7:00 p.m.) will open a space for reflection on the importance of bringing the works of contemporary African writers to Spanish-speaking audiences. The discussion will include Chema Caballero, a development worker, writer, and activist, as well as director of the Libros del Baobab collection, published by Libros de las Malas Compañías, which specializes in African literature in Spanish. This initiative seeks to broaden perspectives on the continent through diverse, complex, and profoundly contemporary narratives.
Two conversations unfold around the same fundamental question: how to build more just, horizontal, and complex cultural relationships with Africa, recognizing the value of its memories, its heritage, and its unique ways of telling its story to the world.
ONE BOOK, ONE COUNTRY
This day will culminate on Wednesday, May 27, with the first session of the AECID Library’s Book Club, which, under the “One Book, One Country” approach, aims to explore different cultural contexts through literature; works that offer insight into daily life, social relationships, and the realities of countries where Spanish cooperation works.
This first session will discuss the novel “Ekomo” by María Nsue Angüe, one of the most representative works of Equatorial Guinean literature. Through an intimate and profoundly human narrative, the novel offers a glimpse into daily life, traditions, and relationships within Fang society, opening a space for dialogue about identity, community, and change.
This reading takes place during the month of May, coinciding with Africa Day, thus beginning a journey that will combine literature and an understanding of global contexts.
The club sessions will be held on the last Wednesday of each month and will include open discussion spaces, as well as contributions from the experience of AECID staff and its cultural network.
KNOWING, PRESERVING, AND TELLING AFRICA FROM AFRICA
Location: AECID Library (Avda. de los Reyes Católicos, 4, Madrid).
Date: Monday, May 25 / 6:00 p.m. (Landscapes, Memories, and Communities: Cultural Heritage in Africa) / 7:00 p.m. (Baobab Books: Reading Africa Through Their Own Voices)
Free admission.
“ONE BOOK, ONE COUNTRY” BOOK CLUB
Location: AECID Library (Avda. de los Reyes Católicos, 4, Madrid).
Date: Wednesday, May 27th at 6:00 PM.
Free admission, registration required at this link.