2020-05-25 Mon

Africa Day and African Liberation Day are celebrated on May 25. This holiday currently commemorates the establishment of the Organization of African Unity.

African Liberation Day was originally named Africa Freedom Day. It commemorated the first Conference of Independent African States that was held in Ghana on April 15, 1958. This conference was the first Pan-African conference to take place on African soil. The anniversary of the conference was declared Africa Freedom Day.

Five years later, on May 25, 1963, representatives of 32 African governments met in Ethiopia and founded the Organization of African Unity (OAU). At this meeting, it was decided to change the date of Africa Freedom Day to May 25 and rename it African Liberation Day. Africa Day was established specifically to commemorate the creation of the OAU, but the two holidays have virtually merged by now.

India, apart from cricket, has maintained relations of friendship with Africa. India's relations with Africa date back several centuries. However, in modern days—and with the expansion of diplomatic and commercial representations— India has now developed ties with most of the African nations.

In the year 2015, India commemorated the 3rd India-Africa summit with the issuance of coins and stamps. The government of India issued a set of four coins (1 circulating and 3 UNC) which depicts the melange of the maps of Africa and India along with the inscription 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit.

Image Courtesy: mea.gov.in