"Africa and Europe, different is the history common is the destiny!". With this slogan, and with the first flags and the with the first banners shown in the center of Rome, has began the organized manifestation headed by the major of Rome for Africa. A pacific and joyful crowd have moved singing and dancing from Barberini square until the big People's square.
It has been an extraordinary and, of course, unforgettable event able to changes the thoughts of many men and women who came in the streets of Rome with a so strong feeling of solidarity.
Stop to the weapons, cancellation of the public debit and free medicines for Africans. With these words, the manifestation in favor of Africa has began in Rome in order to emphasize that the destiny of that continent depends exclusively on us.
At the convention, the mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, has remembered the relationships between Africa and Europe.
The procession, the first one in the West organized to remember Africa's needs, has been promoted from many other subjects: municipality of Rome, Italian national syndicates, and with the promoters appear also the International Community of Sant'Egidio, and other important associations like FAO, Unicef, Wwf, the world of the voluntary service and the Italian missionaries institutes.

More than one thousand people were present in People's square, where a great and free concert has began at the first hours of the evening. The musical show has given the possibility to artists like Youssou Ndour, Daniel Silvestri, Paola Turci, Max Gazzè, Riccardo Senigaglia and a Senegalese group, to play their music for the black continent and on the stage, a huge banner said: "I have Africa into my heart". At the convention we have seen very important guests like the Italian prize Nobel Rita Levi Montalcini, the president of the Republic of the Mozambique Joaquim Alberto Chissano and the president of the Republic of Burundi, Domitienne Ndayizeye.
Also many common people joined from all over Italy and abroad, political parties exponents and also thousand of immigrated workers.

The Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan:
<<I think and I hope that this great occasion would, for the future, to be considered as the beginning of a series of many other important actions for this continent.>>

Since the birth of the United Nations, Africa has always been at the center of a great number of activity of the organization in different areas, that include the development and the humanitarian aids as the prevention, the management and the end of the conflicts. The United Nations have had an important role in the process of liberation from colonialism and in the struggle against the apartheid.
Who knows, perhaps this occasion will be remembered as one of the most important moments for the Africa’s future in which, common people, politicians, and the biggest world authorities have tried to operate their social and moral efforts to wake up again.

More pictures from the meeting of Rome "Italy-Africa" 2004

African girl

Africans

Africans

Lace 2

Lace 4

Lace 5

Lace 6

Lace 7

Lace 8