A four day virtual celebration commemorates the historic Pan African Congress that helped shape Africa’s future.
PAC@75 celebrates the 75th anniversary of the 5th Pan African Congress held in Manchester at the Chorlton-on-Medlock Town Hall.
The town hall is now the site of the Manchester Metropolitan University’s Arts and Humanities building, and back in 1945 it was the host for the meeting of 200 delegates which included future African prime ministers, presidents and renowned social activists and writers.
The week long event was the first time after the second world war that a new generation of African leaders came together to develop new national strategies that birthed many successful anti-colonial campaigns.
This year’s virtual celebration features world renowned historians, writers and performers to mark the anniversary, shining a light on the congress’ modern significance amid the Black Lives Matter movement and global protests against racial injustice.
PAC@75, is led by Manchester Metropolitan University, in collaboration with The University of Manchester, University of Salford and the University of Bolton, Big People Community CIC, local creatives and the Greater Manchester public.
Professor Ola Uduku, from Manchester Metropolitan University, who curated PAC@75, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to mark and celebrate this historic event which has such strong Manchester links not just with the city as the conference location but also with its local people and the city’s urban culture.
“Manchester Metropolitan University is privileged to be the custodian of a significant part of this legacy.
"It has been a pleasure to be involved in organising the commemoration of this event which enables us both reflect on the legacy and also contemplate today’s issues framed by the BLM events and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in these extraordinary times.”
Professor Helen Laville, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “It is exciting to see such a fascinating series of events commemorating this important historic event that took place right here in Manchester, on what is now part of the Manchester Metropolitan University campus.
"It is fitting that through the expertise of leading historians, writers and performers from the region’s universities, we shine a light not only on the legacy of the Fifth Pan African Congress in 1945, but also its ongoing significance for the issues that we face in modern society today.”
The event runs until October 18, a full list of PAC@75 events can be found on their website.
