AFRI CONVERSE 2025 #2 @Osaka Expo, Interwoven Cultures: Exploring the Power of African Textiles

Since June 2018, UNDP and JICA have been co-hosting the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) and AFRI CONVERSE, an interactive event on the theme of African development. For the 22nd time in total, we will hold an interactive event with fashion shows at the venue of the Osaka Expo 2025 under the theme of African textile.

There are many beautiful fabrics in various parts of Africa, such as kente cloth from Ghana, mud-dyed cloth from Mali, and indigo-dyed cloth from Nigeria. These African cloths are not only beautiful, but their vivid colors and rich patterns are filled with the meaning of the culture, history, and message of each region, and have long been popular with people as "cloths that speak." In this event, we will introduce the charm and background of this phenomenon through "Visuals and Dialogue" (fashion shows and talk sessions).

This event is linked to the international vision of "Co-Creating Innovative Solutions with Africa" at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) and "Designing a Future Society that Brightens with Life" at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. In response to these principles, this event aims to build a new relationship between Japan and Africa as a forum for dialogue that connects culture, industry, and sustainability. Since the 1960s, Japan's textile industry has been involved in the African market and has produced cloth together. Now, young people from Japan and Africa will meet through textiles, share their perspectives, and explore the possibilities of cultural exchange and sustainable collaboration. Why don't you explore a form of co-creation between Japan and Africa for a new generation together?

May 25th is Africa Day. This event will be held as part of the program of "Celebrate Africa 2025 - Africa DAY@ Osaka-Kansai Expo" to be held on the same day and at the same venue to commemorate this day.

We invite you to join us in the circle of creativity that expands through textiles.
Let’s listen to the stories to be told by textiles and weave the future together.

13:40~13:45 Announcement
13:45~13:50 Opening Remarks
13:50~13:57 Fashion Show "Cloth in Motion" (Kimono× African Textiles)
13:57~14:27 Talk Session "The First Step to Africa with Textiles"
14:27~14:34 Fashion Show "Next Generation and Cloth" (Harajuku Culture ×African Textiles)
14:34~15:04 Talk Session "Turning Fashion into a Power for Social Change"
15:04~15:10 Closing Remarks

In-person participation does not require pre-registration, and you can come directly on the day of the event.
If you would like to participate online, please apply using the registration form below. The registration can be done even during the event.
Online registration link; https://undp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RVzcvKILTW64BpkTZNqhpQ

Naoki ANDO (JICA Board Member)
Mika SHIMOJO (Akira Oda Co., Ltd.)
Fumi UEDA (Lecturer, Kansei Gakuin University)
Yuka KOBAYASHI (Founder, Melange Etranger)
ANIEHEOBI Frances Chinwe (Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Nigeria)

Shuhei UENO (Deputy Director, Africa Department, JICA)
Chika KONDOH (TICAD Partnership Specialist, Africa Bureau, UNDP)

Since June 2018, UNDP and JICA have been co-hosting the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) and AFRI CONVERSE, an interactive event on the theme of African development. This event is intended to follow up on the development issues raised at TICAD in the past and to promote discussions for TICAD 9, which is scheduled to be held in 2025, and is expected to be attended by many people from Japan and abroad.

Chika KONDOH, TICAD Partnership Specialist, UNDP Tokyo Office chika.kondoh@undp.org
Ryohei TANAKA, Programme Officer, Planning and TICAD Process Division, Africa Department, JICA Tanaka.Ryohei@jica.go.jp