From September 30th to October 2nd, 2024, AFROSPECTIVES’ Vice Chair, Dr. Augustin Holl, had the honor of participating in the “UNESCO Chairs and Partners Forum: Transforming Knowledge for Africa’s Future.” The international meeting, held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, gathered over 500 participants from around the world, focusing on the future of knowledge and education in Africa.
Dr. Holl advanced Afrospectives' commitment to reimagining the production, validation, and dissemination of knowledge across Africa. His participation in two panels—“Rethinking Knowledge Systems and Education Through the General History of Africa” and “Building Research Partnerships to Advance Production of New Historical Knowledge: UNITWIN Network on The General History of Africa”— highlighted AFROSPECTIVES’ alignment with the transformative objectives of the General History of Africa (GHA) and the need for equitable research partnerships that put Africa at the center of global narratives.
Decolonizing History to Reimagine Education
The two panels emphasized the urgent need to reimagine and transform educational systems in Africa. The discussion focused on incorporating the General History of Africa (GHA) into educational curricula and teacher training, thereby mainstreaming African historical knowledge across formal and non-formal educational channels. This approach not only seeks to enrich African students' understanding of their history but also aims to position Africa’s narrative at the core of global discourse, challenging the dominance of Western-centric historical perspectives.
The pedagogic use of the GHA aims to provide comprehensive, inclusive, and accurate historical knowledge to African learners, thereby contributing to a more meaningful understanding of the continent's heritage and diverse experiences. Beyond formal education, the GHA is also positioned as a tool for informal and outreach activities, ensuring that the continent’s shared stories are accessible to wider audiences, including communities outside the traditional education system.
Building New Knowledge to Tackle Contemporary Challenges
Another crucial aspect of the discussions was the second pillar of UNESCO's Priority Africa flagship on the GHA—building new knowledge about African and Diaspora history to support societal resilience. This objective is essential for supporting Member States in addressing social challenges at local, regional, and global levels. It speaks to the need to rethink how knowledge is generated, ensuring that new research informs public policy and supports the well-being of African societies.
The forum encouraged the development of equitable research partnerships between African institutions, UNESCO Chairs, and international partners. These partnerships are designed to diversify sources of historical knowledge, encourage co-creation of research, and ensure that the African perspective is central to scholarly work that informs global narratives. This inclusive approach aims to establish a knowledge-based foundation for addressing pressing issues like education reform, employment, social cohesion, and climate resilience.
A Future for Africa Driven by Transformed Knowledge Systems
The UNESCO Chairs and Partners Forum served as a timely reminder of the significant potential that lies in transforming Africa’s knowledge systems to forge a sustainable future. The mobilization of the General History of Africa’s insights—across both formal education and broader public discourse—is a key driver in this vision, and AFROSPECTIVES members were proud to contribute to the discussion.
As highlighted in Addis Ababa, transforming knowledge is not just about revisiting the past; it’s about shaping a future where African knowledge systems inform education, policies, and innovation across the continent, empowering African people to craft their narratives and take the lead in building a prosperous future for all.
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