Countdown to ECOFEST 2025: ECOWAS, UEMOA, and Senegal Takes Visits to Cultural Sites, Meet Ahead of the Historic Festival.
By Raymond Enoch
In a significant step toward staging one of the region’s most anticipated cultural gatherings, a high-level delegation from ECOWAS, UEMOA, and Senegal’s Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture conducted a joint inspection of key cultural venues across Dakar on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The mission marks a major milestone in the build-up to ECOFEST Dakar 2025, scheduled for November under the theme: “Changes and political crises in West Africa: what can culture do?”
The delegation was led by Dr. Emile Zida, Head of the Culture Division at the ECOWAS Commission, and Dr. Donikpo Koné, his counterpart from UEMOA, alongside senior officials from Senegal’s Ministry of Culture, including the Director of Arts.
The tour included eight of Dakar’s most emblematic cultural landmarks, each evaluated as potential venues for the festival’s broad range of activities. These included the Dakar Arena, the towering African Renaissance Monument, Remembrance Square, the Douta Seck Cultural Centre, and the former Palais de Justice, now a refurbished venue for exhibitions and professional meetings. Also visited were the National Gallery, the Grand Théâtre Doudou Ndiaye Coumba Rose, and the internationally renowned Museum of Black Civilisations.
Following the inspection, the Regional Committee began discussions to finalize the selection of host venues. Officials noted that an official announcement will be made once assessments are complete.
The day culminated in a strategic working session between the Regional Committee and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture. This meeting allowed stakeholders to take stock of preparation progress, introduce a new format for the 2025 edition of ECOFEST, and refine the distribution of roles and responsibilities across the organizing bodies.
ECOFEST 2025 promises to be more than a cultural showcase; it seeks to ignite critical reflection on the role of culture in navigating West Africa’s political and social challenges. With the theme centered on transformation and resilience, organizers envision a festival that fosters regional dialogue and positions culture as a cornerstone of peace and unity.
As momentum builds, all eyes are now on Dakar — not just as a host city, but as a cultural capital ready to lead a continental conversation through the power of art.
