#WeStandTogether: Seeing Africa in Manchester Erinma Bell, trustee of We Stand Together, tells us about The Year of Arts, Culture and Heritage and the

Africa Day commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (now known as the African Union) on this day, 25 May, in 1963. It aims to celebrate African unity and gives those of us in the diaspora an opportunity to celebrate the cultures and heritages as well as languages of African peoples. Each year the Day has a different theme.

The African Union declared the Year 2021 as ‘The Year of the Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want’.

How does this transcend or relate to the Manchester We Want? We boast of multi-cultural Manchester in the North West. Part of that multi-culture is an African community with strong cultural identities, common heritage and many shared values and ethics.

We as a city have, since the appalling murder of George Floyd and the subsequent outcomes, began to look at our own bias – racially, culturally and gender-wise. Many an organisation have dared to take a look inside of themselves to determine how they do or do not, as the case may be, inculcate the spirit of Pan Africanism; tapping into Africa’s rich heritage and culture from their very own employees, associates or citizens. I have led many a workshop over the past year or given talks as a guest speaker – so I know that this is happening.

When we look at the creative arts, we see that they are major contributors to Manchester’s growth and transformation. Therefore, in restoring and preserving Africa’s cultural heritage, including its languages amongst its people can only be of benefit and help to bring about practical community cohesion. Some of our Museums, namely Manchester Museum, are beginning to do just that.

Here we should note that culture incorporates social behaviour and norms of a society as well as the language, knowledge, beliefs, traditions, arts, customs, capacities and habits of a certain community. This culture should incorporate the social behaviours and norms of all of its citizens. This is where the ‘real’ testimony of “multi-cultural Manchester” will be seen.

The Year of Arts, Culture and Heritage is happening at a time when Manchester is still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has imposed heavy human, financial and economic costs to the City.

However, during the pandemic the creative and cultural industries in Manchester have played a key role in contributing efforts towards preventing the spread of COVID-19. This has been by moving all performances online and encouraging safety across performers and amongst audiences. This increased use of technology has created new spaces for the community sector to thrive by using digital platforms to promote their culture and heritages.

2019 saw AFROJAM, the first outdoor festival celebrating Africa Day, happen in Whitworth Park, Manchester. Digitally, you can take a look back at what happened at mif.co.uk/whats-on/afrojam-festival-in-my-neighbourhood.

We are looking forward to planning AFROJAM 2022 when we can have both performers and audiences attend in person, truly appreciate our diverse backgrounds and cultures and demonstrate the ethos of #WeStandTogether.

Published in Manchester Evening News on 24th May 2021 - https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/opinion-westandtogether-seeing-africa-in-manchester/

Erinma Bell is a trustee of We Stand Together.

WeStandTogether is the Greater Manchester Combined Authority brand for cohesion initiatives.

WeStandTogether Month is this May and you can still plan a cohesion activity for your neighbourhood. Bring people together, increase understanding and respect and build strong relationships in and across communities. Find out more at www.westandtogether.org.uk.

You can contact #WeStandTogether on twitter @WeStandTogether, facebook @WeStandTogetherBritain, instagram @WeStandTogetherUK or by email: [email protected].