By Gloriose Ntirenganya
"Good things come in threes!" This saying perfectly captures the remarkable work being carried out by the nonprofit Œil d'Humanité since its inception. First, as a media outlet, it strives to build a bridge between Africa and Europe, particularly Belgium. Secondly, it has made significant strides on the economic front by successfully organizing two major events: FEBA (Belgium-Africa Economic Forum) and MEBA (Belgium-Africa Economic Mission). Now, the upcoming FIBA (International Festival of Belgium-Africa) adds a cultural dimension to the development projects and partnerships that Œil d'Humanité aims to promote on behalf of investors, political actors, and civil society organizations in Belgium and Africa.
As an innovative project, but more importantly, as a complementary component of a Belgian-African vision focused on a win-win partnership, FIBA truly serves as a vector of cultural democracy and development, thanks to the authenticity and quality of the cultural actors it seeks to involve.
FIBA, as a premier cultural event, draws its strength from the authenticity of its participants, who represent a wide range of arts and crafts: writers, dancers, painters, master chefs, designers, stylists, poets, actors, and more.
This significance is also rooted in the desire to be a bridge between various cultures, fostering an exchange that echoes the dream of poet-president Léopold-Sedar Senghor. Throughout his life, he advocated for the fusion of different cultures to achieve what he called the "civilization of the universal"—a unified humanity that rejects racism, xenophobia, and all forms of exclusion, regardless of their nature or origin.
Thus, culture as a vector of democracy and a lever for sustainable development, particularly in Africa where this valuable resource remains underexploited and often unexplored, can also support the humanitarian efforts that Œil d'Humanité seeks to undertake through: (i) Supporting African children who are not in school; (ii) Providing medical care for sick children by Belgian or diaspora specialist doctors; and (iii) Promoting the discovery of African and Belgian arts to strengthen intercultural exchanges and uphold shared human values.
FIBA is, therefore, a true meeting place for giving and receiving, with the ultimate goal, as envisioned by its initiators and their Belgian and African partners, to be recognised as a genuine vector of cultural democracy.
