We Are Afrika: Themes

What does it mean to be resilient? While often resilience is linked to ideas of recovery and stability—personal, economic, or environmental—its meaning can be broader.

Empowerment is seen as the capacity of individuals, groups, and communities to take control of their circumstances. What does it take to be empowered? And, what does it take to be empowered as a woman?

Beyond economies, cities contain another kind of power—a social one. By their nature, chaotic and complex, vibrant cities refuse to be fixed in time. They are places of friction, melting pots of cultures, religions, ages, and wealth. How are these differences expressed? Where can one see and feel this co-existence of contrasts?

How do you tell a story? A story is defined by its elements—where it takes place, who its characters are, and the kinds of triumphs and challenges they experience.

The arts can be used to inspire civic and social change. Often, individuals can express themselves most powerfully without words, touching the hearts and minds of others through images. An artist finds ways to connect with those who view their work. An artist is a problem solver: how can I communicate my idea in a way that others will understand?

Our natural world is one of immense beauty and its our responsibility to protect it. The World Bank recognizes that climate change, and the worsening poverty and inequality it causes, are the defining issues of our age. No country today is immune from the impact of climate change.

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has exacted a huge human toll, with the economic and social impacts the pandemic reverberating globally.