Columbia University Institute of African Studies

05/19/2026

05/04/2026

Student Conversation with Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine)

Join us for a conversation with Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu musician, activist, and Ugandan political leader also known worldwide as Bobi Wine on youth political participation, civic engagement, and what good governance means for the next generation. Kyagulanyi has spent years mobilizing young people across Uganda and beyond, championing the idea that youth voices belong at the center of political life. Now stateside, he is meeting with communities, students, and advocates to discuss the future of democracy and the responsibility young people carry in shaping it.

Monday, May 4, 5-7pm, 208 Knox Hall.

Come ready to listen, ask questions, and be part of the conversation. Follow link in stories. CUID required.

05/01/2026

It’s Friday!! We’re back at you with Africa House’s Playlist of the Week!

This week’s playlist is a deep dive into Zimbabwe through the eyes of guest curators Roli Nyirenda (CC ’26) , and Linda Anotida (CC ‘26) .anotida.

It tells a collective story of how they were exposed to the depth and beauty of Zimbabwean music from a young age, from the music of struggle and liberation from artists like Thomas Mapfumo—“The Lion of Zimbabwe”—to its evolution into modern mainstream contexts across Afro Jazz, RnB, Dance Hall, Hip Hop, and House. Does this pique your musical mind? Zoom into Zim, and let’s vibe!

Link to the Africa House Spotify in bio.

ChimurengaMusic AfricanMusic AfroJazz AfricanDiaspora Afrobeats RnB Dancehall HipHop HouseMusic MusicDiscovery NowPlaying ColumbiaUniversity StudentVoices

04/26/2026

60 Years of Ethiopian Jazz in New York City

Saturday, May 2 | 3:00 PM – Sunset | Sakura Park

Celebrate with Africa House, the Columbia University Ethiopian and Eritrean Student Association (EESA), and students from across campus and the Northeast as we mark 60 years of Ethiopian jazz in New York City.

For one afternoon, Sakura Park becomes a live, open-air gathering of music, history, and community. Featuring performances by Haile Supreme, Adey, Leeben, Aida, Maraki, and Javier, the event brings together the soundscape of Ethiopian jazz with the cultural traditions that shaped it. A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony and homemade Ethiopian food anchor the afternoon—creating space not just to listen, but to experience.

From 3:00 PM to sunset, join students, faculty, and the wider public for an immersive celebration of one of Africa’s most influential musical traditions—its global reach, its histories, and its ongoing life in New York City.

Free and open to the public.

This event is made possible with support from the Columbia Dean of Humanities, the Institute of African Studies, the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS), the Center for Jazz Studies, the Columbia University Ethiopian and Eritrean Student Association (EESA), and the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS). NYCJazz LiveJazzNYC AfricanDiaspora AfricaHouse ColumbiaUniversity SakuraPark HabeshaMusic

04/15/2026

Celebrate with Africa House at IAS, joined by the Center for Jazz Studies, EESA, and Columbia’s African American and African Diaspora Studies, as we mark 60 Years of Ethiopian Jazz in New York City.

On Saturday, April 25, Sakura Park transforms into a live, open-air gathering of music, history, and community. Featuring performances by Haile Supreme, Leeben, Adey, Aida, and Maraki, the event brings together the soundscape of Ethiopian jazz with the cultural traditions that shaped it. A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony and homemade food anchor the afternoon, creating space not just to listen, but to experience.

From 3:00 PM to sunset, join students, faculty, and the wider public for an immersive celebration of one of Africa’s most influential musical traditions—its global resonances, its histories, and its ongoing life in the city.

Free and open to all.

03/31/2026

MESAAS Graduate Student–Led Annual Conference
(Re)Tracing Land

📅 April 23–24, 2026
📍 Knox Hall, Room 208 — Columbia University

Join the MESAAS graduate students for their annual conference exploring land, history, sovereignty, and belonging across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. The program brings together interdisciplinary research that rethinks how land is mapped, claimed, remembered, and contested across regions and historical moments.

Keynote Speaker: Rosie Bsheer

Scan the QR code on the flyer for the full program.

MiddleEastStudies SouthAsiaStudies Humanities GraduateResearch ColumbiaGrad AcademicConference

03/30/2026

Pan-Africanism & Education: Uplifting African Ways of Knowing as a Catalyst for Positive Change

This graduate student–led mini-conference brings together members of the Columbia community to explore Pan-Africanism, African epistemologies, and education as sites of intellectual and social transformation. The program highlights emerging scholarship and collaborative dialogue across disciplines.

Co-sponsored by the Teachers College Center for African Education, the Society for International Education, and the Institute of African Studies.

🗓 April 17, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Columbia University

RSVP via link or QR code in the flyer.

InstituteOfAfricanStudies AfricanEducation AfricanHumanities AfricaAndTheWorld DecolonizingKnowledge GlobalEducation HigherEducation