The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has taken a significant step towards promoting literature, culture, and peace on the African continent and beyond by establishing an official partnership with the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA). This milestone was formally announced in a letter dated September 22, 2023, addressed to PAWA’s Secretary General, Dr. Wale Okediran, by the Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. Audrey Azoulay.
In the letter, Ms Azoulay warmly welcomed PAWA into the esteemed community of UNESCO’s official non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners, saying that the partnership, referred to as ‘consultative status,’ signifies a deepened collaboration between PAWA and UNESCO and comes with specific statutory obligations and advantages that will further solidify their shared commitment to advancing literature, culture, and peace.
The Secretary General of PAWA, Dr Wale Okediran, expressed his gratitude to UNESCO, Ms. Azoulay, and the Country Representative of UNESCO in Ghana, Mr. Abdourahman Diallo, along with his dedicated team, for their recognition and support. Dr Okediran emphasised PAWA’s unwavering dedication to its noble mission of promoting literature, culture, peace, and literary translations, both on the African continent and on the global stage.
“We are deeply honoured by UNESCO’s decision to establish an official partnership with PAWA. This collaboration reaffirms our commitment to fostering literary excellence, cultural preservation, and peacebuilding across Africa and the world. PAWA is eager to harness this new partnership to empower writers and intellectuals, promote linguistic diversity, and contribute to the enrichment of global literary heritage,” he said.
The partnership between UNESCO and PAWA is poised to have a far-reaching impact on the literary and cultural landscape of Africa, further strengthening the region’s ties to the global community and promoting the values of peace and mutual understanding.
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