African Human Rights Music Competition Announces Longlist

 

AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS MUSIC COMPETITION ANNOUNCES LONGLIST

 

The recently concluded African Human Rights Music Competition recorded an impressive turnout, attracting over 30 entries from participants spanning 15 countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. This competition continues to stand as a beacon for cultural diplomacy, drawing entries from nations such as Nigeria, Zambia, Germany, Rwanda, Australia, Ghana, India, South Sudan, Congo, South Africa, Réunion and Mayotte, Kenya, Uganda, and Austria. The competition reaffirms the universal power of music as a tool to spotlight human rights advocacy and social justice.

The African Secretariat of the African Human Rights Art Festival, organizers of the competition, formally unveiled its longlist of standout entries, recognizing the creative brilliance and commitment of participants towards championing human rights through music. Each entrant received a Certificate of Participation as acknowledgment of their efforts and contributions in this noble cause.

The unveiled longlist features an array of artists and musicians whose works reflect the competition’s core ideals. These include: Alao Felix Oluwadamilare (Free World - Felicity), Aniah Emmanuel Bepeh (BTC), Avril (Africa Our Home), Dead to Rights by Uche Chidozie Okorie, Delphina Yeboah (Sit Down, Shut Up and Procreate), Itunu Oyewale (Break the Chains), Ogedengbe Eghosasere (Our Voice), Ummalkhairi Buhari (We Will Fight), Qudus Olowo (Dunya), and Christian Chidozie Okoro (Stand For Our Rights).

Also making the longlist are Nwadei Somkelechi (Blood On The Flag Mas), John Stephen Osifo (Soul), Mide Johnson (Until Everybody’s Free), Onyekachi Nnabuike (Special Woman), Princessinit (Power and Bigotry), Sean Cornelius (Le Monde S'Enlace - Audio Officiel), and Sheetal Varma (Firefly). These remarkable works span genres and languages, reflecting the diversity and depth of talent committed to the cause of human rights.

The African Human Rights Music Competition serves as a platform where musicians, vocalists, and songwriters from Africa and beyond use their talents to amplify messages of justice, equality, and freedom. Through music, participants engage in conversations around oppression, gender inequality, migration, child rights, freedom of speech, and other critical human rights issues facing communities worldwide.

According to the organizers, the competition aims not only to raise awareness but also to inspire positive social change through the universal language of music. This year’s diverse entries, both in terms of geography and artistic expression, demonstrate the strength of music as a unifying force in the fight for human dignity and justice.

Speaking on behalf of the African Secretariat, the organizers expressed gratitude to all entrants for their unwavering passion and creativity. They emphasized the importance of nurturing platforms like this, which allow artists to contribute meaningfully to global conversations around human rights through their unique voices and artistry.