Addis Ababa to Host First-ever Inaugural World Public Summit

Addis Ababa, July 26, 2026 (ENA) —Addis Ababa is set to host the inaugural World Public Summit: Africa from July 29–30, 2026, bringing together participants from all 54 African countries and international partners.

 The summit is expected to advance cooperation, sustainable development, innovation and public diplomacy.

The first African edition of the World Public Summit marks a significant milestone in Africa’s growing role in shaping global discussions on governance, human-centered leadership, sustainable development and international cooperation.

Organized by the World Peoples Assembly in partnership with African and international organizations, the summit will be held at the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) under the theme “A New World: Africa in Shaping a Shared Future.”

More than 700 participants are expected to attend the two-day gathering, including government officials, diplomats, business leaders, academics, journalists, technology innovators, youth representatives, civil society actors, cultural leaders and policy experts from across Africa and beyond.

The summit will provide a platform for dialogue on issues shaping Africa’s future and its role in a rapidly changing world.

 Its agenda includes plenary sessions and panel discussions on sustainable infrastructure, food and information systems, scientific cooperation, education, youth engagement, public diplomacy and the preservation of Africa’s cultural heritage.

The International Media Club will also convene a special session examining the role of international media cooperation and public diplomacy in addressing pressing global challenges.

A major highlight of the summit will be the “Unity” exhibition, a large-scale contemporary art showcase bringing together artists from 16 African countries alongside an Afro-Brazilian artist whose work reflects Africa’s enduring connections with its global diaspora.

Participating artists include Nigeria’s Precious Longret Samuel, Ethiopia’s Selamawit Gebretsadik and Senegal’s Khalifa Mané. Through paintings, sculptures, digital works and mixed-media installations, the exhibition will explore themes of collective memory, identity and shared hope.

“Art is one of humanity’s most universal languages and one of the most effective instruments of public diplomacy,” said Andrey Belyaninov, Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly. “It brings people together where words alone may fail.”

He said holding the World Public Summit in Addis Ababa recognizes Africa’s growing role as a key force in shaping a new global order.

Tsegaye Chama, Secretary General of the Global Black Center, said the summit represents “a unity that is not transactional, but purposeful and conscious”—one capable of helping shape “new contours for a world that works for all.”

The summit will also launch an international interdisciplinary research initiative titled: “The Zambezi River: Economy, Society, Soul.” The initiative will examine the socioeconomic and cultural significance of the Zambezi River across Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Participants are also expected to attend cultural events at the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, linking discussions on Africa’s future with the continent’s rich historical legacy and enduring struggle for freedom and dignity.

As the headquarters of both the African Union and UNECA, Addis Ababa’s selection as the host city further reinforces its status as Africa’s diplomatic capital and a major center for continental and global dialogue.

The outcomes of the summit are expected to contribute to discussions at the Second World Public Assembly, scheduled to be held in Moscow in September 2026.

With its broad participation and focus on Africa’s role in shaping a shared global future, the World Public Summit: Africa is set to place Addis Ababa at the center of a major international conversation on cooperation, innovation, diplomacy and the future of the continent.