アフリカデー祝賀会“African Day Celebration“を開催しました

An African Day celebration was successfully held at Mie University on May 25, 2026, bringing together Africans from diverse countries and Japanese participants in a warm and engaging atmosphere of cultural exchange, friendship, and solidarity. Attendees included staff and students from several faculties and departments across the university, including the host department, the Department of Public Health, Occupational Medicine and Applied Epidemiology, as well as Environmental and Molecular Medicine, participants from the Mie Project under the Faculty of Medicine, current and former students from the Faculty of Bioresources, the Faculty of Engineering, and a former student from the Faculty of Education. African participants represented a wide range of countries, including Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Tanzania, and Zambia.
The gathering was organised to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963, which later evolved into the African Union (AU) in 2002. The initiative was first introduced in 2025 by the host department and has continued as a platform for promoting intercultural understanding, mutual respect, and stronger connections within the Mie University community.
The program commenced at 6 p.m., with the Master of Ceremonies Dr. Anthony Simbeya (PhD student in Department of Paediatrics) warmly welcoming guests and giving an introduction of the event. He highlighted the importance in promoting unity, cooperation, and cultural identity within the African continent and with others like Japan.
The welcome address was delivered by Professor Hajime Kamiya, Head of the Department of Public Health, Occupational Medicine and Applied Epidemiology. In his remarks, Professor Kamiya highlighted the importance of cultural diversity, international collaboration, and academic-community engagement, while expressing appreciation for the opportunity to bring people together through the celebration.
One of the major highlights of the event was the rich display of African cuisine contributed by participants from different countries. The dining experience provided attendees with an opportunity to explore a variety of traditional African foods and culinary traditions. Dishes served included Zambian dishes namely fried sweet potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes mixed with peanuts and roasted peanuts; Basbousa from Egypt; Atchomon from Benin; Ugali with fish soup from the Democratic Republic of Congo; and several Ghanaian dishes including Waakye with shito, Jollof rice with chicken, and beans with fried ripe plantain, popularly known as “Red Red.”
The celebration also featured cultural presentations from representatives of Benin, Egypt, Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia. Through short presentations, participants introduced aspects of their countries’ history, tourist attractions, traditional foods, and cultural practices. These presentations provided valuable insights into the diversity of African cultures and encouraged meaningful cultural exchange among attendees.
Throughout the evening and informal conversations created a relaxed and friendly environment that encouraged networking and interaction among participants from different cultural and academic backgrounds.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Professor Emeritus Kiyosu Taniguchi, who commended the organizers and participants for fostering cultural understanding and unity within the university community. A group photograph was subsequently taken to commemorate the occasion and capture the spirit of friendship and togetherness that characterized the celebration.
Overall, the Africa Day celebration was a successful and memorable gathering that strengthened intercultural connections and showcased the richness and diversity of African cultures within the Mie University community.