Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) - Belgium will grant US$ 52.9 million to Burundi to support Bujumbura's new national policy on universal access to free and compulsory primary education, according to a financing agreement signed here Tuesday. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Friday said that damage to Timbuktu’s cultural heritage due to fighting between Malian government forces and Tuareg rebels was more extensive than first estimated. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - Two major exhibitions celebrating the life of former South African President Nelson Mandela are currently being staged in Paris, France, and Washington, DC, US. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - Tunisia is to receive 10 million Euros in financial support from the European Union (EU), as part of the programme created by the European bloc to grant scholarships to non-European and European students and researchers. Full text...

Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - An official of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for the protection of copyright of citizens in the creative industry noting that their works are so far not adequately protected. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - An African Aesthetic exhibition opened Tuesday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, as one of the African Union’s signature events to express the spirit of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance, the theme of the continental organisation’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian movie director, Cheick Oumar Sissoko, has been elected Secretary-General of the Federation of African Film makers (FEPACI), PANA reported here Monday, quoting official sources. Full text...

Lome, Togo (PANA) – The Togolese capital, Lome, will 2-5 May host the third edition of the international fashion festival, dubbed Elima, sources close to organizers told PANA here Thursday. Full text...

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (PANA) - A Soninké-Djennenke statue from the Bandiagara region in Mali has found a prominent stand in the arts collections at the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, which is currently exhibiting its wares, PANA reported from here. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – UNESCO on Thursday launched a book titled "Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery: New orientations for teaching and learning", PANA reported from here. Full text...

Lome, Togo (PANA) - The Togolese government has announced the temporary closure of schools starting from Monday (15 April) due to the student protests that started last week. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – UNESCO and the International Centre for Research and Documentation on African Traditions and Languages (CERDOTOLA) Friday signed an agreement under which they will pool their resources together with a view to preserving and promoting African cultural heritage and languages. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) – A sub-regional workshop aimed at strengthening capacities to fight illegal trafficking in cultural goods in Mali opened Monday in Bamako, the capital, sources told PANA. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The National Arts Theatre, a key landmark in Nigeria's commercial city of Lagos, is set to assume a new status if the Federal Government carries out its plan to turn it into a hotel, according to local media reports. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is actively searching for about 7,500 cultural objects estimated at several million dollars stolen from a bank in Benghazi, Libya’s second city, during the Libyan revolution, the UN agency told PANA on Friday. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – UNESCO and the Angolan government will from Tuesday begin a three-day forum in the Angolan capital, Luanda, to set the basis for a movement to establish a culture of peace in Africa. Full text...

Ziguinchor, Senegal (PANA) – Ziguinchor, the main city in southern Senegal, will host a cultural diversity tour 15-17 March at which the various rich cultures of the Senegalese people will be on display. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - Just days after Cape Town documentary, “Searching for Sugarman”, won an Oscar, the South African romantic comedy, “Fanie Fourie's Lobola”, has won the Audience Choice Award for Best Comedy at the 19th Annual Sedona International Film Festival in Arizona, US. Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) – The Cuban ambassador in Congo, Mrs Alba Beatriz Solo Pimental, on Thursday said Brazzaville that Cuban artistes would participate in the 9th edition of the Pan-African music festival (FESPAM) to be held from 13 to 20 July in the Congolese capital. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) – An international forum at which participants will exchange views and share experiences on the Fulani culture will be held in January 2014 in Mopti, 670 kilometres away from the Bamako, Mali, PANA learnt from organziers who attended a preparatory meeting just ended in Mopti. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - A Cape Town documentary, "Searching for Sugar Man”, won the best documentary feature Oscar on Sunday night. Full text...

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - The 8th Pan African Festival of Dance (FESPAD) will open Saturday in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, with the participation of artists from 11 African countries, the festival coordinator said Friday. Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The International book and film festival was launched Thursday in Brazzaville, Congo's capital, with the participation of nearly 100 guests from 23 countries. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The 2013 edition of the Festival on the Niger, scheduled for 12-17 in Segou, Central Mali, has been cancelled following the war in Mali, organizers announced here Wednesday. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) - Angola and the European Union (EU) Thursday signed a Financing agreement for the conservation of the biodiversity of the Iona Park, Angola's biggest national trans-border natural reserve site. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - "Kinshasa Kids", a feature film produced by Belgian director, Marc Henri Wajnberg, will be screened in Belgian cinema halls from Wednesday. Full text...

Port Harcourt, Nigeria (PANA) - Miss Hyeladzirra “Zirra” Banu of Nigeria has been crowned Miss ECOWAS Peace Ambassador 2012, after beating 26 other contestants at the pageant held recently in Port Harcourt, capital of the South South Rivers State. Full text...

Lome, Togo (PANA) - Actors from West Africa are meeting in Togo where they will take part in a series of 150 cinema episodes, entitled "Miss Diamant", PANA learnt from sources close to organizers. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Grammy award-winning American singer Jill Scott has been confirmed as the headline act at this year's Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya and Egypt have signed a draft agreement on cultural cooperation aimed at developing cultural, technical and scientific relations between them. Full text...

Moroni, Comoros (PANA) – Comorian singer and instrumentalist Mohamed Hassane Mchangama, died here Monday at the age of 81, PANA reports Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - Congolese films will not be screened at the 23rd edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), to be held from 23 February to 2 March in the Burkinabe capital, Culture department officials told PANA here but did not give reasons. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – The Director-General of the UN Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, has called on Malian and French authorities to avoid exposing to "destruction or deterioration" Malian cultural items as France steps up its air campaign against rebel Islamists occupying several cities in northern Mali. Full text...

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (PANA) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is to reopen its Office in Côte d'Ivoire and a new agreement signed by the two parties, according to an Ivorian government communiqué. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – The third edition of the festival of Mauritania’s ancient cities will take place from 24 to 30 January, sources close to the organization told PANA on Wednesday in Nouakchott. Full text...

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) – The African Union Commission and Burkina Faso have signed a protocol to establish "a Special Peace and Security Prize" at the Pan-African Ouagadougou cinema and television festival (FESPACO), a press release from the Burkina Faso government said on Wednesday. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - Several events are to be held in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, 19-21 March 2013, to mark the centenary of French writer/politician from Martinique Aimé Césaire, PANA learnt from the organisers in Paris, France, Friday. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - Three African elements were included in UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, at the end of the Protection Committee’s meeting held 3-7 December, in Paris, France, PANA learnt from here. Full text...

Blantyre, Malawi (PANA) - Legendary Jamaican reggae heroine, Rita Marley, wife of the legend himself, Bob Marley, will be in Malawi from Saturday to receive an African Diaspora honour, PANA exclusively reported. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) - About 35 films, 12 of them produced by Angolans, will be screened at the fifth edition of the Luanda Film Festival, scheduled to take place from 16 to 22 November, the director of the Angolan Institute of Audiovisual Cinema and Multimedia (IACAM), Pedro Ramalhoso, disclosed here Wednesday Full text...

Lome, Togo (PANA) - A dozen fashion designers and about 40 models from several African countries attended the African beauty and creativity gala night held on Saturday by Fashion Biennale (BIMOD 228) in Lomé, the capital of Togo. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – Rwandan novelist Scholastique Mukasonga on Wednesday won the prestigious Renaudot Prize for Literature for her novel entitled "Notre-Dame du Nil". Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - An exhibition of the arts of different peoples of the Benue Valley in Nigeria is due to begin 13 Nov. at Quai Branly Museum in Paris, France, PANA learnt Saturday from the organisers. Full text...

Gaborone, Botswana (PANA) - Ten Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) countries will next week converge in Botswana, to exchange ideas on strengthening cooperation between cultural and heritage institutions, as well as law enforcement agencies. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - Kinshasa, the DR Congo capital, "vibrated" Wednesday evening to the beat of more than 100 musicians from french-speaking African countries as leaders from the 75-nation Francophonie gather here for their biennial summit on Friday, PANA reports. Full text...

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) – Exhibiting fabrics made of a mixture of "Samacaca, silk, velvet, Full text...

Vancouver, Canada (PANA) - A UNESCO conference on "The Memory of the World in the Digital age: Digitization and Preservation", opened in Vancouver, Canada, Wednesday, bringing together experts and government officials from 110 countries, UNESCO said in a press statement. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - China will give FCFA 35 billion to Mali to enable the West African nation build a university campus in Kabala, a suburb in south-western Bamako, PANA learnt from official sources. Full text...

Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) – Burundian authorities will Monday distribute school items, worth US$ 2 million, to needy school children across the country as part of the new national policy on education, PANA learnt from an official source here. Full text...

Blantyre, Malawi (PANA) - Malawi's number one musician Lucius Banda, the self-styled 'soldier of the poor man', is out of hospital in South Africa and he is expected to return home soon, PANA reported. Full text...