The
African Union Commission, AUC,has formally unveiled the 2017 All Africa Music
Awards, AFRIMAcalendar at the World Media Unveiling event heldon Tuesday, May 2
at TheMaslow Hotel, Sandton, South Africa.
The
ceremony was attended by AU officials, members of the International Committee
of AFRIMA, past AFRIMA winners and nominees from Southern African, media
executives in Southern Africa and other stakeholders in the creative/entertainment
industry in Africa.
During
the unveiling, President/Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada, made known
that the first activity on the continental awards event calendar issubmission
of entrieswhich openglobally on Monday, May 8 and submission closes on Monday, July
17, 2017.
Mr.
Dada advised artistes, managers, producers, record label owners, video
directors, publicists and entertainment/music journalist to submit their works
or those of their artistes within the stipulated timeline in order to stand a
chance at the awards.
‘’Irrespective
of how popular an artiste or their works are in Africa, failure to submit for
the awards means their chances of being nominated for AFRIMA 2017 is
practically non-existent,”, Dada pointed out.
Other
activities at the event calendar are; the jury adjudication process and
nominees selection from July 29 – August 7 at Harare, Zimbabwe; world media
announcement of AFRIMA 2017 Nominees’ list, August 8 at Harare, Zimbabwe; turn
up Africa concept between August and October; the Africa music village,
November 10, at the host city; finally the main awards ceremony in November 12.
While
delivering the African Union opening address at the event, Head of Culture
Division, African Union Commission, Ms. Angela Martins,thanked the government
of the Republic of South Africa and the people for receiving the AUC and AFRIMA
for the calendar unveiling.
She
added: “We would like to hail the All Africa Music Awards initiative for the
laudable impact it has for its three editions (2014, 2015 and 2016). AFRIMA has
been able to mobilize millions of people and renowned artistes from the five
(5) regions of Africa’’.
Speaking
further about the partnership with the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA and the
African Union Commission, Ms Martins said: ‘’We wish to thank AFRIMA for
allowing us to popularize this continent policy tool on its platforms and we call
upon all of you here present to assist in popularizing these continental
tools’’.
Some
of the attendees during the unveiling were African music stars such as: Wax Dey;Sjava;
Buffalo; Mi Casa; Busiswa; The Soil; Heavy K; Ugly Priddy; Cindy Munyavi and
Fungisia amongst others. Other music industry stakeholders present included:
MD, Africori Digital Music Solutions, Mr. Yoel Kenyan; MD, Content Connect
International, Mr. Munya Chanesta; Group Manager, Africa Sales and Marketing,
Sun International, Ms. Jennifer Beattie and Director, Vth Season Management,
Ms. Ninel Musson to name a few.
The
All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, is a music property developed to celebrate,
reward and showcase the rich musical culture of Africa, stimulate conversations
among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the globe about the great
potential and values of the African culture and artistic heritage for the
purpose of creating jobs, reducing poverty, calling attention of world leaders
to Africa and promoting the positive image of Africa to the world.
AFRIMA is centred on the promotion and
marketing of African music and is by far the largest gathering of such
magnitude of stakeholders in Africa and hosting is earnestly sought by
different African countries due to the great leveraging opportunities that the
platform provides.
Tags
Entertainment