Africa Practice to create longest, living twitter monument in memory of Africa’s conflict victims

Africa Practice has organised a twitter campaign that aims remembering Africa’s conflict victims.

The #NamesNotNumbers campaign is part of a broader effort by Africa Practice in support of the African Union (AU) to sensitize and mobilise citizen groups, in particular, the youth to join the AU in its silencing the guns effort.

Africa Practice is a strategic advisory firm, operating at the nexus of industry and government. It supplies insights and advocacy solutions to corporations, investors, governments and foundations in Africa, enabling them to see more clearly, engage with confidence and unlock value to drive sustainable and equitable development.

“In the lead up to the AU summit 2020 taking place in early February, the campaign will run in twitter on the 29^th January 2020,” said Marie Wilke, Director Africa Practice.

“Showcasing the countless names, ages and fates of victims that have died as a consequence of conflict and violence in recent years in a tweet that is updated and extended by the minute, we will not only remember those who have died but showcase the extent of violence on the continent and its randomness.”

Wilke also said during the campaign they will encourage citizens to engage with the tweet by adding their own personal accounts, tributes to loved ones lost and other memories.

“The tweet will be reproduced as an animated video that will be showcased at the AU Summit-one week later- carrying the names and the messages directly to the Heads of States and the governments, transforming the memorial into a powerful appeal for action.”

Africa Practice has already contacted the Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey requesting him for support.

“Help us create the longest tweet in history by enabling a “no-character-limit tweet”. It will become a living twitter monument, encouraging others to add their testimonies and engage with what it represents, before being presented as an animated video to Africa’s heads of state and government at the 2020 Africa Union summit.”

Meanwhile, nearly half a million people lost their lives in organised violence in Africa between 2015 and 2018. That was 274 every day or one every five minutes and these are the only official records.

2020 has been designated by the AU as the ‘Year of silencing the guns’ to end all conflict in Africa.