Luanda: UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Africa and External Relations Ldia Artur Brito on Monday praised Angola's growing leadership in fostering a culture of peace and conflict prevention across the African continent.
According to Angola Press News Agency, in a recorded message delivered during a press conference for the upcoming fourth edition of the Luanda Biennial, Brito said hosting the Pan-African Forum for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence reflects Angola's commitment to leveraging its domestic political experience to advance global stability.
The press conference was hosted at the Anbal de Melo Press Center by Secretary of State for Social Communication Nuno Caldas, who serves as spokesman for the forum.
Brito urged leaders to draw on African history as a foundation for building a peaceful, citizen-centered future. She highlighted the theme of the fourth biennial-focused on water governance-as particularly critical, noting that Africa's vast cross-border river basins support regional agriculture, public health, energy production, and fragile ecosystems.
As climate change, population growth, and natural resource constraints intensify, sustainable water management demands cooperation across national borders, Brito said. She reaffirmed UNESCO's commitment to collaborating with the African Union and the Angolan government to expand the forum's reach.
The Luanda Biennial aims to build peaceful coexistence across African cultures, empower young people as catalysts for peace, and leverage education to resolve conflicts.
Inaugurated in September 2019, the biennial previously focused on African heritage, human rights, and democratic values. Subsequent editions in 2021 and 2023 addressed cultural policy, education, and African citizenship. The fourth edition centers transboundary water cooperation as a core mechanism for conflict prevention and sustainable development.
