Addis Ababa Hosts Inaugural World Public Summit Africa at UNECA

Addis Ababa Prepares to Host Inaugural World Public Summit Africa

Organized by the World Peoples Assembly in partnership with African and international organizations, the summit operates under the theme A New World: Africa in Shaping a Shared Future, as detailed by [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580). The event is projected to convene over 700 delegates, including government officials, diplomats, business leaders, academics, journalists, technology innovators, youth representatives, civil society actors, cultural leaders, and policy experts, according to [Moderndiplomacy](https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/07/28/young-artists-showcasing-africas-contemporary-culture-in-ethiopia/) and [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580).

Confirmed speakers and attendees include Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie and African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi, alongside regional officials and international envoys, according to [Ethio Negari](https://ethionegari.com/2026/07/24/first-world-public-summit-africa-to-convene-in-addis-ababa/). Yanina Dubeykovskaya serves as the head of the World Peoples Assembly Africa Organizing Committee, as reported by [Ethio Negari](https://ethionegari.com/2026/07/24/first-world-public-summit-africa-to-convene-in-addis-ababa/).

Core Agenda, Research Initiatives, and Public Diplomacy

The summit agenda features plenary sessions, high-level roundtables, and panel discussions focusing on sustainable infrastructure, food and information systems, scientific cooperation, education, youth and women leadership, public diplomacy, Pan-African economic integration, ethical artificial intelligence, and the preservation of Africa’s cultural heritage, according to [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580), [Ethio Negari](https://ethionegari.com/2026/07/24/first-world-public-summit-africa-to-convene-in-addis-ababa/), and [pan african visions](https://panafricanvisions.com/2026/07/global-leaders-head-to-addis-ababa-for-first-ever-world-public-summit-in-africa/). The opening plenary is titled Values, Development and Partnership as the Basis of a Sustainable and Just World, noting how African values such as Ubuntu can shape a more inclusive global future, as outlined by [pan african visions](https://panafricanvisions.com/2026/07/global-leaders-head-to-addis-ababa-for-first-ever-world-public-summit-in-africa/). Additionally, the International Media Club will convene a special session on international media cooperation and public diplomacy, as reported by [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580).

The forum will formally launch an international interdisciplinary research initiative titled The Zambezi River: Economy, Society, Soul (also referred to as “Spirit”), which examines the socioeconomic and cultural significance of the waterway across Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, according to [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580) and [Ethio Negari](https://ethionegari.com/2026/07/24/first-world-public-summit-africa-to-convene-in-addis-ababa/).

World Peoples Assembly Secretary-General Andrey Belyaninov stated that the summit acts as a space for unity and shared values, remarking according to [pan african visions](https://panafricanvisions.com/2026/07/global-leaders-head-to-addis-ababa-for-first-ever-world-public-summit-in-africa/) that today, we understand more clearly than ever: the future cannot be built alone. It is born in dialogue, in trust, in the ability to listen to one another and to act together. Tsegaye Chama, Secretary General of the Global Black Center, noted that the summit embodies a unity that is not transactional, but purposeful and conscious, according to [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580) and [pan african visions](https://panafricanvisions.com/2026/07/global-leaders-head-to-addis-ababa-for-first-ever-world-public-summit-in-africa/).

“Unity” Contemporary Art Exhibition and Cultural Events

Serving as the cultural centerpiece of the gathering, the “Unity” contemporary art exhibition opens alongside the summit on July 29, 2026, as reported by [Moderndiplomacy](https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/07/28/young-artists-showcasing-africas-contemporary-culture-in-ethiopia/). The showcase features paintings, sculptures, collages, digital art, and mixed-media installations from artists representing 16 African nations alongside an Afro-Brazilian artist reflecting diaspora connections, according to [Moderndiplomacy](https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/07/28/young-artists-showcasing-africas-contemporary-culture-in-ethiopia/).

Participating artists originate from the following countries: * Cameroon * Democratic Republic of Congo * Ethiopia * Ghana * Kenya * Madagascar * Namibia * Nigeria * Rwanda * Senegal * South Africa * Sudan * Tanzania * Tunisia * Zambia * Zimbabwe

Featured creators include Nigeria’s Precious Longret Samuel, Ethiopia’s Selamawit Gebretsadik, and Senegal’s Khalifa Mané, as detailed by [Moderndiplomacy](https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/07/28/young-artists-showcasing-africas-contemporary-culture-in-ethiopia/). Additional exhibitions scheduled during the event include Innovations for the Future and The World Paints Happiness, according to [pan african visions](https://panafricanvisions.com/2026/07/global-leaders-head-to-addis-ababa-for-first-ever-world-public-summit-in-africa/). Delegates are also expected to visit cultural events at the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, connecting the summit’s dialogues with historical legacies of freedom, according to [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580).

Summit Conclusions and Road Map to Moscow

The summit is scheduled to conclude with the adoption of the African Communiqué (also known as the Addis Ababa Declaration), which will serve as Africa’s official contribution to the Second World Public Assembly (or Second International Assembly) scheduled to be held in Moscow in September 2026, according to [ENA English](https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_9278580) and [Ethio Negari](https://ethionegari.com/2026/07/24/first-world-public-summit-africa-to-convene-in-addis-ababa/). Following the conclusion of the Addis Ababa event, the “Unity” art exhibition will continue its journey to Moscow to further promote international cultural diplomacy and friendship among nations, as reported by [Moderndiplomacy](https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/07/28/young-artists-showcasing-africas-contemporary-culture-in-ethiopia/) and [Ethio Negari](https://ethionegari.com/2026/07/24/first-world-public-summit-africa-to-convene-in-addis-ababa/).