Over 850 actions and activities have been registered to take place from 19th to 25th May 2025 across 54 countries, organised by members of Africans Rising both on the continent and in the diaspora. The annual commemoration, known as African Liberation Week (ALW), now in its ninth year, has hosted thousands of events across Africa to mark the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) over 60 years ago.
This year’s theme, “A Borderless Africa for All Africans,” will also see members mobilising around key sub-themes including Pan-African Solidarity with conflict-affected countries, Climate and Environmental Justice, Gender Justice, and Economic Justice. Through various actions such as peaceful marches, community dialogues, webinars, and public education campaigns, Africans Rising aims to mobilise millions of people across 54 countries in support of free movement and the ratification of the AU Free Movement Protocol.
“ALW 2025 will be a continuation of last year’s mobilisation, to continue amplifying the movement for a Borderless Africa, rallying Africans to advocate for free movement across the continent. Through partnerships, community actions, and targeted campaigns, we will showcase the power of collective action in shaping Africa’s future.” Said Prince Akpah, Africans Rising Pan-African Mobilisation and Solidarity Lead.
We caught up with some of the organisers of the events and sought to know their expectations for this year’s ALW and why they are participating?
Kingwa Kamencu from Kenya hopes more citizens will participate in African Liberation Week, making it their own. He’s participating to celebrate his Pan-African identity and honor the legacy of his forefathers, feeling a strong responsibility to carry on their work.
Miss Patrice Robertson from Ghana says; “We expect African Liberation Week 2025 to foster connections among Africans passionate about justice, environmental protection, and Pan-African solidarity. We aim to inspire youth to see themselves as part of Africa’s future and empower them through education, arts, and leadership development. By joining ALW 2025, we’ll strengthen our Pan-African identity, celebrate shared goals, and encourage young people to advocate for climate justice.”
Boaventura Benjamim, a civic activist and founder of NAC, says, “We’re participating to spread awareness about Africans Rising’s role in Pan-African emancipation and to rescue our identity. We support the Kilimanjaro Declaration and the movement’s vision for Africa.”
Faith Maseya from Malawi expects African Liberation Week 2025 to raise awareness on climate issues, environmental protection, and sustainable practices, including: Mitigating environmental impacts, protecting natural resources and Promoting proper waste management (e.g., disposal of sanitary products) to prevent soil degradation.
Laurinda Gouveia from Angola, a feminist activist, says: “We expect to empower local leaders, promote rights and democracy, and defend human rights. We’re concerned about growing social conflict and propose discussing human rights issues, such as the situation in Congo, to find community-led solutions and strengthen our network for change.”
Vayanga DONZO from Guinea expects African Liberation Week 2025 to foster awareness, mobilization, and unity. Key expectations include: Deepening historical memory, Empowering youth, promoting intergenerational dialogue, committing to African sovereignty and Highlighting current resistances He’s participating to honour African struggles, promote unity, and work towards a free and prosperous Africa.
“We encourage all Africans Rising Members to register and organise activities or actions to promote the Borderless Africa campaign for this year’s African Liberation Week,” said Hardi Yakubu, Africans Rising Movement Coordinator. “Together, we can shape Africa’s future and promote a borderless Africa for all Africans.” Hardi noted
