By Onyekachi Victoria Philip
A major Pan-African tourism and cultural initiative, Motherland Beckons -East/West Africa Amalgamation Through Tourism, Trade and Creative Arts is set to bring together Africans and lovers of Africa from different parts of the continent in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The programme is scheduled for September 15–23, 2026, with September 18 designated as the Travel Day, as guests move into the main phase of the experience.
The initiative is designed to use tourism, trade and creative arts as tools for strengthening relationships between East and West Africa while encouraging cultural exchange and economic cooperation.
Beyond tourism, Motherland Beckons is expected to create an avenue for participants to experience Africa beyond borders, discover cultural similarities and differences, build business relationships and promote the continent as a destination for investment and travel.
The choice of Addis Ababa, one of Africa’s major diplomatic and political centres and the headquarters of the African Union, gives the programme an important Pan-African setting. Addis Ababa regularly hosts major continental and international gatherings.
Through Motherland Beckons, tourism is presented not simply as leisure, but as a bridge for people, businesses, cultures and ideas across the continent.