African creators forum of Algiers : institution of “Miriam Makeba award for artistic creativity”.
The Minister of Culture, Mr Azzedine Mihoubi, announced the creation of the « Miriam Makeba of artistic creativity » prize which will be awarded every 14th September. The announcement was made at the opening of the African meeting of « Writers, directors and creators of African music » which took place on 14th and 15th September at El Djazair Hotel in Algiers.
The meeting is organized by the National Office for Copyright and Neighboring Rights (ONDA) and the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC). More than 400 participants from 17 African countries, including the presidents of the International Creators’ Councils, the Director General of CISAC, numerous managers of management societies and leaders of regional organizations (OAPI and ARIPO), as well as representatives of the FEPACI, take part in this important meeting to discuss the protection of creators and campaigns to defend their rights.
The participants in the African Creators Forum called the leaders of the African countries to make culture a “vehicle of rapprochement and solidarity between the people of the African continent” and a “tool of fight against racism and extremism.”
Two agreements on protection and promotion of copyrights and artistic cooperation in Africa will be signed at this occasion; said the director general of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), Gadi Chai Oron.
“Miriam Makeba of artistic creativity” award, named after the South African ethno-jazz singer who took part in Algiers at the first Pan-African Festival in 1969, was established to reward African creators in the different artistic fields , said Minister of Culture Azzedine Mihoubi on the sidelines of the Forum of African creators which wraps up on Friday in Algiers.
Organized by the National Office of Copyright and Neighboring Rights (Onda), the “Miriam Makeba Award for Artistic Creativity” will showcase the best musical, cinematographic and literary works.
Framed by a jury composed of filmmakers, musicians and personalities from the world of the arts, the prize is instituted in recognition of the militant and artistic trajectory of the interpreter “Ana houra fi el djazair” (I am free in Algeria) December of each year, said Onda Director General Sami Bencheikh El Hocine.
Born in Johannesburg in 1932 and naturalized Algerian in 1972, Miriam Makeba, is one of the most illustrious singers in Africa and in the world.
Engaged in the fight against the apartheid racial regime, her songs evoke tolerance, freedom and peace.
Miriam Makeba died in Italy at the age of 76 in 2008, three years after she ended her artistic career.
