To commemorate Africa Day 2025, Selam Ethiopia, through its Connect for Culture Africa (CfCA) initiative, hosted a powerful panel discussion on “The Importance of Public Funding for the Culture Sector.” The event was held in collaboration with the Ethiopian Music Sectoral Associations Union, Ethiopian Writers Association, Ethiopian Visual Arts Association, and the Ethiopian National Circus Association Consortium, with the support of the Addis Ababa Culture, Arts, and Tourism Bureau. It took place at Addis Ababa University’s Alefelege Selam Fine Art and Design School.

The panel highlighted a range of pressing needs within Ethiopia’s cultural sector:

• The urgent demand for more libraries and book subsidies

• Affordable cultural and creative spaces

• Greater institutional support for artists

• The need to integrate circus arts into education

Speakers underscored the power of art to heal, educate, unite communities, and create employment—demonstrating its vital role in both social cohesion and economic development. The resounding message was clear: increased and sustained public funding for culture is not a luxury, but a necessity.

Through the CfCA initiative, Selam Ethiopia continues to advocate for the integration of culture into national policy dialogues and to push for long-term public investment in the creative and cultural sectors, both in Ethiopia and across the African continent.