Pan Africanism Today

Pan Africanism is alive today in Africa and around the World. The African Union promotes Continental cooperation, commands joint military forces to send to conflict zones and regularly debates the pros and cons of greater unification.

The Diaspora (people of African birth and heritage living around the World) maintains bonds with the Continent through culture, politics, economics and family. The amount transferred from Western societies in remittances - that is people from the Diaspora sending money to the Continent - for many countries far exceeds the amount given in Aid. Afrocentric philosphies and practices – such as Kwanzaa – keep alive African values for generations who may never set foot on African soil. Political organisations – such as Ligali in the UK – seek to unite and campaign for the rights of African heritage people and the Continent.

Arts and Culture are essential threads running through all African communities. An example of the power and influence of the Continent is the interlinked musical dynasty – blues, jazz, soul, samba, salsa, reggae, rap, hip hop etc. - that dominates the global cultural landscape, all drawing on, communicating and developing distinctively African-rooted forms and values such as interdependence, spontaneity, spirituality, vitality, collectivism, oral history.

Jill Scott – US Nu-soul/Hip hop vocalist and star of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency.. “We hear so much that's negative about Africa – HIV, poverty, famine, war. We have that drilled into us. But the reality is quite different. We can learn so much from Africa about respect, respect for life, respect for family, respect for communities and respect for each other as human beings”.

PADEAP as an educational charity, building on a positive foundation of African creativity, skills and resources to tackle the huge challenges facing the Continent and the Diaspora, is playing its part in today's vibrant, ever evolving Pan Africanism. Link to PADEAP Projects & Training.

See also: The history of Pan Africanism