Ghana and Rwanda are set to host the Move Afrika tour, a groundbreaking initiative that aims to revolutionize the live entertainment industry in Africa and showcase the continent’s creative talent to the world.
The Move Afrika tour is a collaboration between Global Citizen, a movement of engaged citizens who use their collective voice to end extreme poverty, and pgLang, a creative imprint founded by Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Kendrick Lamar1.
The tour was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Global Citizen, and pgLang.
The announcement follows the successful launch of the Move Afrika tour in Rwanda in December 2023, where Kendrick Lamar headlined a spectacular show at the Kigali Arena, alongside local and regional artists such as Zuchu, Bruce Melodie, DJ TOXXYK, Sherrie Silver, Ariel Wayz, Kivumbi King and Bruce the first.
The event, which was created by Global Citizen and pgLang, in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board, employed more than 1000 Rwandans and engaged 75 percent of local crew and production staff, with a focus on creating opportunities for skill development.
The Move Afrika tour is a long-term, large-scale effort to pioneer an international music touring circuit across Africa, driving economic investment, job creation, and supporting entrepreneurship opportunities in each host country.
Each year, additional countries will be added to the Move Afrika tour schedule, which aims to expand to three countries in 2024, and five countries by 2025.
The tour will set a new gold standard for entertainment touring across the continent, and over time, these events will increase demand from international and regional artists build local capacity, and scale the live entertainment sector within host cities.
Ghana is no stranger to hosting global events, as it hosted the unforgettable Global Citizen Festival in Accra in 2022, which featured performances by Beyoncé, Burna Boy, Sarkodie, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, and more.
The festival, which was attended by over 50,000 people, injected more than $15 million into the Ghanaian economy from activities such as production spending, hotels, transport, advertising, and security, according to the government’s post-event analysis.
The festival also mobilized over 2 million actions by Global Citizens as part of advocacy efforts to end extreme poverty by 2030.
President Akufo-Addo expressed his excitement over joining Rwanda in becoming the next destination for the Move Afrika tour.
“Expect continued impact in the years ahead, today, we celebrate this milestone for Ghana. We look forward to future announcements on this growing cohort of Move Afrika destinations,” he said.
President Kagame congratulated Ghana for its partnership with Move Afrika.
“Global Citizen’s commitment to develop the workforce needed for professional concert tours will leave an important economic legacy for our region,” he said.
Kweku Mandela, Chief Vision Officer of Global Citizen, said, “We are honoured to bring Move Afrika to Ghana, our partnership with the Ghanaian and Rwandan governments will showcase the best of African creative talent to the world, while generating economic investment.”
The Move Afrika tour is part of Global Citizen’s broader campaign to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and end extreme poverty by 2030.
The tour will also raise awareness and funds for various causes, such as education, health, gender equality, climate action, and social justice.
The dates and venues for the Move Afrika tour in Ghana and Rwanda will be announced soon, along with the line-up of artists and ticketing information.
Fans can expect to see some of the biggest names in music, as well as emerging and local acts, on the Move Afrika stage.
The tour will also feature cultural and artistic elements, such as fashion, dance, poetry, and visual arts, to celebrate the diversity and richness of African culture.
The Move Afrika tour is a unique opportunity for music lovers, global citizens, and visionary leaders to come together and celebrate the power of music and creativity to change the world.
Source: Modern Ghana
