Assahafa.com
UNESCO Africa Week officially opened Tuesday in Paris, with Morocco taking part. Held until May 22, this edition spotlights issues related to water, youth, culture and sustainable development on the African continent.
The Kingdom is participating with a “youth hub” space that highlights the ideas and perspectives of African youth, as well as panels, exhibitions and an African Book Fair.
Speaking to MAP, Morocco’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Samir Addahre noted that this year’s edition stands out for its strong spirit of innovation and its clear commitment to greater youth involvement.
“We wanted to involve African youth more actively so they can exchange ideas and learn around a number of important issues,”he said.
For UNESCO Deputy Director-General Åsa Charlotte Regnér, Africa Week is “a moment of culture, knowledge, imagination, and encounter,” where the continent expresses itself in all its diversity.
Addressing this year’s theme, she underscored its “urgent and strategic” importance, noting that pressure on Africa’s water resources is mounting due to population growth, rapid urbanization, and climate-related challenges.
She emphasized that access to drinking water and sanitation remains a major development and equality challenge, with direct implications for education, health, and economic growth across the continent.
Meanwhile, Pierre Faye, President of UNESCO’s Africa Group and organizer of the event, said the initiative resonates “in the hearts and minds” and called for renewed commitment from young people to culture and knowledge-sharing as a means of building the future.
He highlighted the rich African talents, cultures, knowledge, youth, and ambitions for the future, noting that the theme chosen for this year’s event is both “demanding and deeply meaningful,” focusing on the need to ensure sustainable access to water and safe sanitation systems, an essential condition for achieving development goals.
Source: map
