Programme 2025
Tuesday 20 May
09:00-17:00 Black Female Academics' Network (BFAN) Networking Event
BFAN is a global network for female academics (Research, Education, Scholarship and Professional Services) who are Black (African, African Diaspora & Dual Heritage).
Note: attendance at this event is also limited to BFAN members only. To find out more about joining the Network, email Sally Osei-Appiah at s.osei-appiah@leeds.ac.uk
Wednesday 21 May
12:30-16:45 Edit-a-thon at Helix, University of Leeds
We invite you to join a hands-on Wikipedia Edit-a-thon focused on improving representation of Black and African academics and research.
Black and African voices are significantly underrepresented on Wikimedia, with a lack of coverage, recognition, and sourcing for many scholars, histories, and contributions from the continent and its diaspora. We invite you to play your part in rebalancing this inequity, by learning how to edit Wikimedia pages.
We are also delighted to welcome Tochi Precious of Wiki Loves Africa to give a keynote speech about her involvement with Wikimedia initiatives across the globe.
You don’t need to have any prior experience of Wikimedia editing. This workshop is aimed at beginners and those looking to build their confidence in using Wikimedia as an editor.
Find out more and book your place (attendance is free).
16:00 Yorkshire African Studies Network Postgraduate Researcher Event: Global Security - Global Africa
This YASN network event aims to delve into the complex landscape of conflict dynamics and alternative models for post-conflict reconstruction in Africa, providing a holistic view of the factors driving instability, including but not exclusively political, economic, social, and environmental dimensions. This session will bring together Post Graduate Researchers presenting their work around these themes.
17:30 Ibadan 1960 launch event
Join us for the launch of Ibadan 1960, a digital exhibition telling the story of an art and literature movement from 1960s Nigeria to present-day Leeds, UK.
This exhibition aims to bring the Banham archive, an undervalued archival collection held here at the University of Leeds to the public eye. A rich tapestry of art forms, writing, political movements and decolonial understandings, three BA Liberal Arts students will present their research project as part of a celebration of this exhibition and research.
Thursday 22 May
13:00-15:00 Uli art workshop
Discover the beauty and symbolism of Uli art, a traditional Igbo artistic expression known for its bold pattern and deep cultural meanings.
Learn the history & significance of Uli art, exploring its deep cultural roots and its symbolism, and how the patterns connect to nature, philosophy, and identity.
Participants will be guided step-by-step to create their own Uli-inspired designs, on canvases, using traditional patterns and modern adaptations.
This practical session is designed to be creative and to offer a unique opportunity to engage with Uli, appreciating how it transcends borders and can be applied in personal and professional artistic practices.
Sunday 25 May (Africa Day)
14:30 – 17:40 Cinema Africa screening, Hyde Park Picture House
One of Sembène’s most celebrated and powerful films, Camp de Thiaroye is a historical and harrowing story honouring the very real fallen heroes of West Africa during World War II. West African troops fought the Nazis and were imprisoned in concentration camps, only to receive on their return to Senegal racist discrimination, unfair pay and for dozens, murder by the French authorities.
This film won the Grand Jury Prize in the 45th Venice International Film Festival, yet it was banned in France for a decade and censored in Senegal.
Last year the young president of Senegal, Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, achieved new recognition of this massacre, and a rare acknowledgment from France. Coincidently in time with a brand-new restoration by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project and Cineteca di Bologna at L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in association with the Tunisian Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Senegalese Ministry of Culture and Historical Heritage.
We are thrilled to be able to present this seminal film, in partnership with University of Leeds Africa Week, on International Africa Day. Book your place
Africa Week 2025 at the University of Pretoria
Mon 26 - Wed 28 May 2025
The University of Pretoria’s Future Africa platform is hosting the Africa Week 2025 conference.
This event, organised with the support of the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), will be held online as a live stream from Mon 26 - Wed 28 May 2025 and will convene prominent African and global science leaders and stakeholders for a series of high-level discussions under the theme ‘Global Security, Global Africa’.
- What are the most pressing security threats facing the world today?
- What are the limitations of current governance and policy frameworks in ensuring global security?
- Why are scientists increasingly under threat, and what can be done to address this?
- What should Africa’s primary security concerns be, and how should they be articulated?
- How can Africa contribute meaningfully to global security frameworks?
Africa Week 2025 will bring together leaders from higher education institutions across Africa and the world and stakeholders from academia, government, business, civil society, and the media.
The Africa Week 2025 Programme can be viewed here.
Or to join the live stream you can register here.
Coming soon: Leeds International African Arts Festival
Following on from Africa Week, why not take in the vibrant and diverse cultural experience that is the Leeds International African Arts Festival (LIAAF) 2025?
This year’s festival offers an exciting line-up of performances, exhibitions, and cultural experiences celebrating African heritage and creativity. To find out more and to book your tickets, visit the LIAAF website.