The Africa Peace Concert has officially launched its fifth edition in Kampala with a bold message about working together for peace. Under the theme “The Power of Collective Action,” the event kicked off today at Four Points by Sheraton, bringing together leaders, artists, activists and young people from across the region who believe in building peace through creativity and cooperation.

The launch event featured prominent speakers including Rotary International Director Nominee Emmanuel Katongole, a well-known business leader and peace advocate who served as Guest of Honor. Other key speakers included Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Next Media Group CEO Kin Kariisa, and a representative from the Makerere Rotary Peace Centre program. Together, they shared powerful ideas about how communities can unite to create lasting peace across Africa.

This year’s concert builds on the success of the fourth edition, which brought together musicians, artists and peacebuilders from across the continent to share their messages through performance and dialogue. The upcoming concert, scheduled for November 1, 2025, promises to be even bigger, continuing the event’s tradition of using music and art to inspire social change.

“Peace doesn’t come from one person or one action – it grows when we all work together,” said the chairperson of this year’s event. “This concert celebrates what we can achieve through collective effort and renews our commitment to building a peaceful Africa.”

Since its beginning, the Africa Peace Concert has become an important platform for young people and creatives to share their visions for a better future. By combining music, art and meaningful conversation, the event shows how culture can bring people together across differences.

The launch event highlighted several success stories from past concerts, showing how the initiative has helped community peacebuilders connect and grow their work. Organizers emphasized that this year’s edition will focus even more on grassroots efforts, ensuring the message of unity reaches beyond the concert stage into neighborhoods and villages across Africa.

As preparations begin for the November concert, organizers are calling on artists, volunteers and peace advocates to join the movement. With its powerful mix of entertainment and social change, the Africa Peace Concert continues to prove that music and art can be powerful tools for building understanding across communities.

The event comes at an important time for the region, with many African nations facing challenges that require cooperation and dialogue. By bringing together diverse voices under the banner of collective action, the concert aims to inspire practical solutions as well as hope for the continent’s future.

As the launch event concluded, attendees left with renewed energy for the peacebuilding work ahead. The message was clear: when Africans unite behind the cause of peace, there’s no limit to what they can achieve together. All eyes now turn toward November, when Kampala will once again host this celebration of African unity and creativity.