To commemorate Africa Day today, special virtual lectures and speeches from the South African Parliament and president Cyril Ramaphosa will be broadcast.

Deputy speaker of the National Assembly Lechesa Tsenoli and deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Sylvia Lucas will host a virtual public lecture this morning.

The virtual lecture will feature an address by professor Adekeye Adebajo, African scholar and researcher heading up the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg.

Africa Day is celebrated annually on 25May to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now known as the African Union (AU), on 25 May 1963. This year marks the 57 anniversary of its establishment.

The day is intended to celebrate and acknowledge the successes of the continent in the fight against colonialism and apartheid, as well as the progress the continent has made, while reflecting upon the common challenges it faces in a global environment.

The theme this year is: “Silencing the guns: Creating conducive conditions for Africa's development.”

Members of the public may follow the virtual public lecture live on Parliament TV (DStv channel 408), via live stream on the Parliament YouTube channel and on the Twitter page.

President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as AU chairperson, will also deliver a special virtual broadcast to mark the day, with speeches from AU commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat; president of the Pan African Women Association, Eunice Ipinge; and the AU youth envoy, Aya Chebbi.

“The broadcast also brings one of the champions of Africa's Liberation, the only remaining founding father of the OAU, Dr Kenneth Kaunda of the Republic of Zambia. KK, as he is known, walked and worked side-by-side with other gallant giants of Africa's liberation in establishing the organisation that strived to free the whole continent from the shackles of colonialism. He served as Zambia's first president and as chairman of the OAU from 1970 to 1973,” notes the Presidency.

This event will be broadcast at 1pm Central African Time (CAT) on all major broadcasters and digital media platforms.

Furthermore, Ramphosa will be featured delivering a message of support on the Africa Day Solidarity concert for the AU COVID-19 response fund, which will stream on all Trace TV stations from 5pm (CAT).

The president will also feature on the MTV Base Africa Day benefit concert, which is working with UNFPA and UNICEF Africa to ensure proceeds of the concert go towards food security for vulnerable children and families which are hardest hit by COVID-19. The virtual concert starts at 6pm (CAT) on YouTube and at 9pm (CAT) on MTV Base DStv channel 322.