Herewith the full text of Ambassador Sejosingoe’s remarks:
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Dear guests, artists, partners and friends
It is a profound honour to stand before you this evening, in my capacity as the Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors, to open the 2026 Creative Africa Festival. This festival has become a vibrant bridge between Africa and the Czech Republic — a space where creativity becomes diplomacy, and where art becomes a shared language of understanding.
This gathering is more than a celebration of artistic expression. It is a testament to the power of culture to connect peoples, to challenge perceptions, and to illuminate the depth and diversity of the African continent. Through music, film, literature, fashion, and visual arts, Africa tells its story — a story of resilience, innovation, and a boundless capacity to imagine new futures. And through your presence here today, Prague affirms its openness to listening, learning, and collaborating.
Today, we also mark International Women’s Day, whose 2026 theme — “Give to Gain” — invites us to reflect on the transformative power of generosity, collaboration, and shared upliftment. For women, especially African women, this theme resonates deeply. It reminds us that when women give of their creativity, their leadership, their wisdom, and their courage, societies gain strength, communities gain stability, and future generations gain possibility. African women have long embodied this principle. They give not to diminish themselves, but to expand the world around them. They give knowledge, and we gain continuity. They give creativity, and we gain culture. They give leadership, and we gain progress.
As the renowned Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reminds us, “Culture does not make people. People make culture.” And women — through their stories, their artistry, and their lived experience — have always been among the most powerful makers of culture. And in the words of President Sahle-Work Zewde, Ethiopia’s first woman president, “If the history of Africa was written by Africans and by women, I think we would find many unsung heroes.”
Today, we honour those heroes — the women whose creativity has carried our cultures forward, often quietly, but always powerfully. From the storytellers who safeguarded our oral traditions, to the artisans whose craft shaped our communities, to the contemporary innovators redefining global art and design — African women have always been at the heart of our creative renaissance. And as we celebrate women here today, we also hold in our hearts the women across the world who create in the midst of hardship. In regions affected by conflict and instability, women continue to paint, write, sing, weave, and teach — often quietly, often courageously. Their art becomes a form of healing, a way of preserving memory, a bridge between what has been lost and what can still be imagined. In places where the world sees only struggle, these women remind us that creativity is not a luxury of peace, but a lifeline of humanity. In the spirit of “Give to Gain,” they give the world something profound: the assurance that even in the harshest conditions, the human spirit can still rise, still imagine, still create. And in return, we gain stories of resilience, beauty, and hope that enrich our shared global culture.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Creative Africa Festival stands as a testament to the growing partnership between Africa and the Czech Republic. It reflects our shared belief that culture is not a peripheral element of diplomacy — it is its beating heart. Culture builds trust. It fosters empathy. It opens doors that politics alone cannot. We, the African Group of Ambassadors, remain committed to strengthening these ties. We believe that cultural exchange enriches our peoples and lays the foundation for deeper cooperation in education, innovation, trade, and development.
Allow me to express our sincere appreciation to the organisers, partners, artists, and volunteers whose dedication has brought this festival to life. Your work ensures that Africa’s creative spirit continues to shine brightly here in Prague.
I would also like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Lucie Nemečková, Director of the Creative Africa Festival, whose vision and dedication have been instrumental in bringing us together this evening. Through her steadfast commitment to promoting cultural exchange and deepening understanding between the people of Czechia and the African continent, she has helped create a space where our stories can be shared, our creativity celebrated, and our common humanity affirmed. Her leadership stands as a reminder that when individuals invest in building bridges across cultures, entire communities are enriched.
As we open this year’s edition, I invite all of you to immerse yourselves in the colours, rhythms, textures, and stories that define the African continent. May this festival inspire new connections, spark new ideas, and remind us of the beauty that emerges when cultures meet with respect, curiosity, and shared purpose.
On behalf of the African Group of Ambassadors, I declare the 2026 Creative Africa Festival officially open.
Thank you.
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