5 key things to know on Africa Soft Power summit 2023, how it influences Africa globally.

Africa Soft power summit held its second annual event May, in Kigali, Rwanda, bringing together delegates and leading speakers all over the globe. With media reports gather by BellaNaija team after hosting its second conversation event, and bringing to live some of the important moments in the summit.

With all hands on deck on Africa Soft Power’s biggest event right from start to date, below are some key facts from this year summits which was held in Kigali, Rwanda

Gender equality is universal equality.

Among the most favourite additions to this year program was the inaugural ‘women’s Leadership Conference (RAW). This program was so real, it was Africa-hosted and led by women. It was indeed to so remarkable to see how much efforts and enthusiasm out there for greater equality for gender in our various work places and in the society at large.

One of the opening panel participant was the deputy partner at Templars “Chike Obianwu” came up with a joke of how he was the Token man in other wise what must should have been a session dominated by female. “Templars” is thoroughly putting all efforts to make sure the gender quality space boast a 53% - 47% female to male gender split across the societies and offices per quote. Specific information where revealed in real-time regarding the basic and tough steps most organisation can take to ensure their own representation.

Sailing across the Seven C’s

In the summit a lot of top honoured world-class speakers where present, and in one way or the other, it feels unjust to pick at just one. From top entrepreneurs and artist to leading voices from different sectors both public and private. The summit which also features stories on modern Africa industries and how it impacts the lives of Africa's.

With specific pin points for major speakers, one which entirely cut up the attention of  audiences was Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation commission (AFCAC) and the creator of the 7 C’s (Seven top tips of finding success your career and life.)

• Charisma: your likeability, and ability to be human and humane
• Capital: your brand, who you show up as, and what you show yourself to the world to be
• Competence: to back up that confidence and show that you are incredible
• Courage: we need the courage to go through life and everything it throws at us
• Confidence: belief in yourself, that you can do anything you set your mind to
• Commitment: what keeps you going, even when you don’t feel like it
• Character: who you are

 

Celebrate don’t denigrate
Another key addition to this year’s summit was undoubtedly the ASP Gala & Awards, hosted smack bang in the middle of the 5-day convening. This was an opportunity to come together as a collective while recognizing individual excellence and celebrating the height of African creativity against the backdrop of an exclusive red-carpet setting filled with African fashion, food, music, and dance.

Learn to Celebrate and not to Denigrate.

Another major addition to this year Africa soft summit was doubtfully the

Going into the event, Africa’s Soft Power Founder, Nkiru Balonwu, had spoken about the need – while not shying away from the challenges Africa faces and the responsibilities it holds as a continent – to emphasize the more positive aspects of Africa. Removing Africa from the prism of the Western lens and creating its narratives is critical to today’s beliefs and tomorrow’s successes. At the Gala & Awards, the strength of African creativity and innovation was on display for the world to see.

 

Real-life events are Back!
The way the world rallied in its pivot to virtual events during the Covid-19 pandemic was something to behold and has provided a wider range of options for communications and connectivity going forward. But now, over three years since the onset of the pandemic, and with restrictions well and truly behind us, it was clear at this year’s Africa Soft Power Summit that the appetite for real-life events and face-to-face connectivity is stronger than ever before!

In Kigali, there was something for everyone. People came from across the world to listen, speak, interact, and at times simply enjoy. There were traditional conference formats, the aforementioned Gala and awards, networking, breakout sessions, leisure and cultural outings, and spontaneous socials, and the city of Rwanda truly became a home for the better part of a week. These types of interactions now seem even more important than ever before, even though their day-to-day working lives have been changed beyond recognition.

African soft power is now part of global culture
While hosted in Kigali, this was a global event, bringing the emerging creative and innovative sectors side by side with more traditional financial, investment, and corporate organizations to forge real bonds and examine genuine solutions for tomorrow’s growth pathways. With one-quarter of the world’s population predicted to be residing on the continent by 2050, witnessing Africa – and Africans – playing such a central role in these global conversations was extremely encouraging.