A consultation process for designing the House of African Worlds together

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In October 2021, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, announced that a space for African ideas and creativity would be created in France: the “House of African Worlds”. To outline this project, an online consultation process began on 22 June 2022 and will remain open until 31 July. Its aim is to gather concrete recommendations to enable as many people as possible to help create this space.

« Something new and powerful is emerging from Africa. And the House of African Worlds is another example of this.»

Achille Mbembe, referring to the House of African Worlds

In November 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron gave a speech at the University of Ouagadougou setting out a new relationship between France and African countries based on renewed dialogue on shared themes.

This new approach was also at the core of the New Africa-France Summit held in Montpellier on 8 October 2021. During the Summit’s plenary session, the President of the French Republic announced the creation of a “House of African Worlds”, based on one of the flagship proposals from Professor Achille Mbembe’s report “New Africa-France relations: facing the challenges of the future together”.

A multidisciplinary place of creation, gathering, discovery, information and innovation, this “House” will aim to become a reference for all those who are interested in Africa and wish to undertake projects there. It will also embody the thoroughly renewed relationship between the African continent and its diasporas.
This project follows on from the Africa2020 Season, held from December 2020 to September 2021, the General Commissioner of which was Ms N’Goné Fall.

Why this consultation process?

Just as its content is entirely new, the project also wants to use innovative methods by involving young people from the design phase right up to its governance. To do so, a large-scale online consultation process has been created, entitled “Let’s imagine our house”. It is particularly aimed at young people in France but also Africa.

Through this consultation process, future beneficiaries and users of the “House of African Worlds” are invited to share their views, expectations and proposals. They can make recommendations regarding programming and decision-making methods for the structure.

The process will be available from 22 June to 31 July via online dialogue and on-site and online workshops. When consultations have concluded, the contributions will be summarized and feedback will be provided.

How to take part

E-mail: consultation at maisondesmondesafricains.org

Further information:

After the Ouagadougou speech: Implementing commitments: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/africa/after-the-ouagadougou-speech/
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/africa/the-new-africa-france-summit-reinventing-our-relationship-together/