Biennale of Luanda
What is the Biennale of Luanda?
The Biennale of Luanda 鈥� 鈥淧an-African Forum for the Culture of Peace鈥� is an international event organized by the UNESCO, the African Union and , that aims to promote the prevention of violence and the resolution of conflicts, by encouraging cultural exchanges in Africa and dialogue between generations. It is held every two years in Luanda, the capital city of Angola.
Background
The first edition of the Biennale of Luanda, "Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace" was held from 18 to 22 September 2019 in Luanda, which was a celebration of various African values, beliefs, forms of spirituality, knowledge and traditions that contribute to the respect of human rights, cultural diversity, the rejection of violence and the development of democratic societies.
The Biennale of Luanda 2021
The second edition of the Biennale of Luanda took place from 27 November to 2 December 2021 and was celebrated under the African Union's 2021 theme, , mixing digital and presential events.
Biennale of Luanda 2023
The 3rd edition of the Biennale of Luanda was held from 22 to 24 November 2023, on the theme of 鈥楨ducation, the culture of peace and African citizenship as tools for sustainable development of the continent鈥�. Almost 800 participants, attend the event. The President of the Republic of Angola, Jo茫o Manuel Gon莽alves Louren莽o, stressed the importance of peace and the education of young people for the development of Africa. He also welcomed UNESCO's growing commitment to the continent. The President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, spoke of the importance of history in understanding the issues at stake. The Biennale is intended as a platform for reflection on building peaceful societies in Africa.
"Peace is more than an absence of war. It means justice and equity for all as the basis for living together in harmony and free from violence, now, but even more so for our children and succeeding generations." Ko茂chiro Matsuura
Inspired by the Constitution of UNESCO, the concept of a "Culture of Peace" was formulated during the Congress on Peace in the Minds of Men, held in C么te d鈥橧voire in 1989. UNESCO then engaged in a process aimed at promoting the concept of a culture of peace and non-violence worldwide, a commitment reflected in the late 1990s with the adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.
Projects
ResiliArt Angola was launched by the in April 2021, under the umbrella of the Biennale of Luanda and as part ofUNESCO ResiliArt global movement. Soon after its inception, the focus of ResiliArt Angola shifted from discussing how to support artists and creativity beyond the crisis COVID-19 to finding concrete avenues to provide young artists with opportunities to enhance their skills and to obtain an income.
The idea of mixing young Angolan and international artists and creating residencies led by well-known artists, as pointed out by Marcos Agostinho, Executive Director of ASA, is the result of a simple observation: African and specifically local artists in Angola now need more support than ever.
During November, as part of the lead-up to the Biennale of Luanda 2023 and in celebration of Angola's independence on November 11th, the UNESCO-ResiliArt Angola launched the Peace Blanket/Manta da Paz project. This initiative aims to promote peace and art among young Africans and global peers by engaging schools and the public in creating diverse artworks on a tissue.
These individual interpretations of peace will be curated by ResiliArt artists and sewn together to form a Peace Blanket/Manta da Paz. The project's results will be unveiled at the 3rd edition of the Biennale of Luanda from November 22 to 24, 2023. Countries like the U.S., Sao Tom茅 and Principe, and others have also joined Angola in participating in this meaningful initiative.
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