African countries celebrate African Union's 54th anniversary

On May 25, African embassies in Brasília will celebrate the 54th anniversary of the African Union. Africa Day was established by the United Nations in 1972, in recognition of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which was founded on May 25, 1963, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and has been replaced by the African Union.

It was established for the purpose of coordinating and strengthening cooperation among African countries and defending their sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.

On Thursday morning (May 18) in Brasília, 35 ambassadors met at a warm-up event for the celebration. Caique Novis, the superintendent of the Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC)'s TV Brasil, spoke about the release of a new Angolan soap-opera, Jikulumessu, which will air on TV Brasil starting on May25.

“As a public service television broadcaster, we have a role of bringing Africa closer to Brazil and Brazil closer to Africa, because we have a heritage and a shared identity with African people that is undeniable, and yet rather invisible. It is quite common to visit the African continent and hear Brazilian music, find Brazilian drama and cinema, but [here in Brazil] we don't get to see the things they make in Africa. And the role of public service television is to give it visibility,” Novis said.

This is TV Brasil's second partnership with Angola. In 2014 and 2015, an African soap opera was aired on Brazilian television for the first time—Windeck. “Now our expectation is to increase viewership. Jikulumessu is a better soap opera, with superior drama, better photography, and we are now working to promote it,” Novis said, pointing out the soap opera will be launched at the Africa Day celebration.

Angolan Ambassador Nelson Manuel Cosme thinks Brazil is showing its historical link with Africa and African heritage through these initiatives. “Our group was very pleased to know that TV Brasil would provide a window of visibility for Africa showing it in different angles that depart from that notion of poor, suffering Africa,” he said. “Africa can be seen in its great potential, as one of the largest-growing and most dynamic continents, and as a continent of hope.”

In addition to the message it conveys to Brazilians, the Consul-General of Angola to Rio de Janeiro, Rosario de Ceita, the soap opera will be positive for Africans living in Brazil as well. “Watching this novel with their families—since many are mixed couples—will boost pride, and they will be able to show their friends, colleagues, and family members that there are good actors and actresses in Angola too,” he said.

Beginning on May 25, Jikulumessu will air on TV Brasil Monday through Friday at 8pm (local time).

Translated by Mayra