The African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have unveiled a commemorative statue of Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere of Tanzania during the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The AU announced that magnificent statue stands atop a granite base inscribed with Nyerere’s impactful words from October 22, 1959.
The quoted words reads,“We would like to light a candle and put it on top of Mount Kilimanjaro which would shine beyond our borders giving hope where there was despair, love where there was hate and dignity where before there was only humiliation.”
Situated on the grounds of the building complex named in honor of Julius Nyerere hosting the African Union Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department, the statue pays tribute to his pivotal role in Pan-Africanism and peace building, according to the union.
As the first Prime Minister of independent Tanganyika (1961) and subsequently the first President of the new state of Tanzania (1964) the effigy of the former Tanzanian leader and Pan-Africanist joined the distinguished ranks of monuments at the AU Headquarters.
In 2012, the AU had unveiled the statue of Ghanaian Pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah, followed by the statue of Emperor Haile Selassie in 2019, recognizing their significant contributions to the establishment of the union - the then OAU.
The African Union expressed its 2024 theme of Education manifests Nyerere’s statue and his philosophy on education.
“He believed that education’s primary purpose is to transmit accumulated wisdom and knowledge to people, resonating with principles such as self-reliance, critical consciousness, equality, social justice, and common good,” according to the African Union.
The unveiling ceremony took place in the presence of Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of Mauritania and AU Chairperson, SADC leaders.
0 Comments