Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange 2020

The 11th edition of the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange began on on the 12th of July, 2020 and will continue until tomorrow, the 14th of July, 2020. The exchange, which is held annually in honour of the Laureate and professor, Wole Soyinka, is virtual this year. This year, the theme for the exchange is: I AM BECAUSE YOU ARE.

Here are the highlights of the 3-day programme:

Day 1 (12th July, 2020)

• Advocacy Conference: PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND OUR COMMON HUMANITY. Keynote by Prof. Li-Rong Lilly Cheng, Executive Director of Chinese Cultural Centre, San Diego State University, USA; supported by five other papers by speakers from China, Spain, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago and Nigeria.
• Film screening: The White Handkerchief (dir. Tunde Kelani) (NIG)
• Performances: Soyinka’s The Bacchae, (dir. Jefferey Page) (USA).

Day 2 (13th July, 2020)

• Advocacy Symposium: ReIMAGINING our WORLD post-PANDEMIC. 
• Keynote: Prof. (Fr.) Joseph Brown, SJ of Africana Studies, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA; supported by five other speakers from Uganda, Zimbabwe, France, USA and Nigeria.
• Film screenings: Wole Soyinka: Poeto Citoyen (53″; dir. Jean-Pierre Zirn/Bankole Bello).
• Performances: Letter to Corona by Crown Troupe of Africa, and Soyinka’s King Baabu by Oxzygen Koncepts. 

Day 3 (14th July, 2020)

• The Wole Soyinka Essay competition: Announcement of zonal and global winners.
• Film screenings: Abobaku (35″; dir. Niji Akanni)
• Performances: Live Storytelling by Yayra Tamakloe (Ghana/USA).

Today is the birthday of Prof. Wole Soyinka. We wish Kongi a happy birthday as he strides into his 86th year.

To join the exchange, follow this link.