Africa will celebrate Africa Day on Wednesday, 25 May 2005, to mark the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) 42 years ago, on 25 May 1963.

Leaders of the African continent decided to establish the OAU to address key issues of the time, including decolonisation, liberation, equality, justice and progress.

Representatives of 32 governments signed the first OAU Charter. A further 21 states joined over the years, with South Africa becoming the 53rd member in 1994.

By 2005, Africa had overcome many obstacles and has begun building an Africa that belongs to all Africans. While the continent has met many of the early challenges, new challenges have emerged which must be met to ensure that the 21st Century becomes an African century.

African governments, acting collectively, have responded to these challenges in a variety of ways, including the founding of the African Union (AU) in 1999, the establishing of NEPAD and other continental developments.

The Provincial Government of the Western Cape is distributing special wall charts to schools as part of our celebration of Africa Day. We invite schools to mark this day appropriately by reflecting on what we can do collectively to make the 21st Century an African century and to promote African unity.

SIGNED: N.S. MITI
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2005:05:24