Local art to grace AU conference centre

The African Union inaugurated the new African Union Conference Centre and the Commission office building early last year. At that point, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Jean Ping, requested member states to donate artworks to decorate the walls of the Conference Centre.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under Hon. Utoni Nujoma, brought the request to the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture who then facilitated the selection of four artworks belonging to the government.
“I am therefore happy that Namibia has taken this important decision to donate these pieces of art to be displayed in the Conference Centre of the African Union as a semblance of Namibia’s commitment to the unity of Africa” said current minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, when she accepted the pieces from the National Art Gallery last week.
The minister said these pieces of art represent great artistic expression, not only of Namibia but of African culture in general and is a testimony of the permanent appreciation of the people of Namibia for the indelible contribution made by the people of Africa, through the Organisation of African Unity, to Namibia’s independence.  “Generations of Namibians who will visit the headquarters of the African Union will bear witness to these great artworks for many decades to come.  I would like to individually pay tribute to the artists who have created these artworks.”
“With these few words, let me stressed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take concrete efforts to have these artworks transported to Addis Ababa and be part of other artworks from the rest of the continent.  Let me once again thank the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, the officers and the artists for this brilliant works of art,” she said.