Amnesty International has expressed its support for the upcoming "Wakati Wetu Festival," a pioneering event set to take place on October 22-23 in Nairobi, Kenya. This unique festival aims to bring together artists, musicians, policymakers, and cultural activists to address the historical injustices of the slave trade and colonialism, and to explore the concept of reparatory justice.

The festival, in its inaugural year, is designed around the themes of "resist, repair, and reclaim." It seeks to tackle the "unfinished work of history" by confronting the enduring injustices and racial inequalities that stem from Africa's subjugation under European colonial powers. Through art, dialogue, and community action, the event aims to foster spaces of healing, solidarity, and cultural renewal.

Rym Khadhraoui, Amnesty International’s racial justice advisor, emphasized the ongoing relevance of colonial impacts, stating, "We often think about colonialism as something that’s finished, but we are still living in its long shadow. Across the world, people are still suffering the long-lasting effects of colonialism and struggling to get the reparations they deserve from governments." She added that the festival provides a critical platform to discuss ways to achieve justice and reparations, especially as many European leaders continue to deny their responsibility in addressing these issues.

The festival is aligned with the African Union’s (AU) theme of the year, which calls for justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations. The AU, a continental body of 55 member states, promotes unity, peace, and development across Africa and seeks to amplify the continent’s voice globally. The AU’s civil society organ, ECOSOCC, is co-organizing the festival and has highlighted it as part of the AU’s reparations agenda, calling it a "unique platform for engagement across sectors."

This cultural and political initiative not only serves as a venue for Africa to voice its pursuit of reparatory justice but also contributes to the global conversation on historical accountability and the ongoing impacts of colonialism on contemporary societies. The collaboration with global partners like Amnesty International underscores the international dimension of these discussions and the broader push for historical justice.