Luanda Commemorates 448th Anniversary with Cultural Festivities

Luanda: The capital of Angola, Luanda, commenced its 448th-anniversary celebrations on Monday with a cultural event held at Independence Square. The city, which was founded on January 25, 1576, marks its anniversary on January 25 each year.

According to Angola Press News Agency, the celebration includes a series of 33 cultural and social activities designed to engage the residents of Luanda. Milca Caquesse, the administrator of the municipality of Luanda, outlined the events planned for the anniversary, including football matches, art and culture fairs in public spaces and schools, a cooking competition, an art exhibition, and a musical show.

The event, with free admission, also commemorated National Culture Day, celebrated on January 8. The day’s festivities featured various performances, including a theatre show by the Oásis group, musical acts by Aidiny Diogo, Joel Tuka, Obadias Correia, Duo Canhoto, and Dom Caetano, a poetry reading by Paulo Tatório, and a dance presentation by Bailado Kupolo Njila.

Caquesse emphasized the rich cultural potential of the municipality in visual arts, music, dance, and other cultural areas, making it imperative to celebrate the date with due significance.

National Culture Day, established in November 1986, honors the speech by the first Angolan President and founder of the nation, António Agostinho Neto, delivered on January 8, 1979, during the inauguration of the governing bodies of the Union of Angolan Writers (UEA).

The event also paid tribute to the late Angolan nationalist Rui Mingas. Musicians Joel Tuka and Obadias Correira honored Mingas by performing his songs. Caquesse praised Mingas for his significant contributions to Angolan culture and diplomacy.

Ermelindo Pereira, the second secretary of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in Luanda, attended the ceremony and offered condolences to Mingas’s family. He highlighted Mingas’s unforgettable contributions to Angola, not only as the writer of the national anthem but also for his diverse roles in various sectors.

Rui Mingas, born on May 12, 1938, was a multifaceted figure—a sportsman, singer, songwriter, diplomat, businessman, deputy (member of parliament), former Secretary of State for Sports, former Angolan ambassador to Portugal, and Deputy Minister of Culture.

Luanda, located on the west coast of Africa, was founded by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais and initially named “São Paulo de Assunção de Loanda.”