From February 17–19, the BEMA International Awards Festival announced the results of the 2025 Best Event Projects Competition. Participants included representatives of major companies and organizations implementing large-scale cultural and business initiatives. The Afrofest African Culture Festival was among the finalists, taking second place in the "Best Thematic Festival" category at BEMA International 2025, following expert evaluation.
Two projects were submitted to the competition: the Afrofest African Culture Festival and the Eurasia-Africa Business Forum. In addition to participating in the competition program, Serge Phocas Odunlami, President of the ANO "House of Africa," delivered a presentation titled "From Forum to Ecosystem: How Russia and Africa Can Transform Events into a Permanent System of Cooperation," dedicated to the development of sustainable international ties through the events industry.
The high level of competition makes this result particularly significant. The Afrofest festival was presented alongside projects from major companies such as Rosatom, Alfa-Bank, Yandex, T-Bank, Tochka Bank, Rosselkhozbank, Sberbank, and Kaspersky Lab. Despite stiff competition, the project received high praise from experts and was awarded a prize.
The Afrofest festival, held in Kaluga, has become one of the region's notable cultural events in recent years. Currently, the event attracts approximately 30,000 guests and continues to expand its audience. The organizers are confident that in the near future, the festival will reach a new level, attracting over 100,000 visitors.
Special thanks go to the project team, festival participants, and partners, as well as the Presidential Grants Foundation for their support and trust. The leadership of the Kaluga Region, including Governor Vladislav Shapsha, made a significant contribution to the festival's development, facilitating the implementation of the initiative.
According to the organizers, the project's main goal is not only to host a vibrant cultural event but also to create a sustainable platform for humanitarian and business cooperation between Russia and African countries.
The Afrofest festival continues to strengthen its position as a major platform for cultural dialogue and international cooperation.
Two projects were submitted to the competition: the Afrofest African Culture Festival and the Eurasia-Africa Business Forum. In addition to participating in the competition program, Serge Phocas Odunlami, President of the ANO "House of Africa," delivered a presentation titled "From Forum to Ecosystem: How Russia and Africa Can Transform Events into a Permanent System of Cooperation," dedicated to the development of sustainable international ties through the events industry.
The high level of competition makes this result particularly significant. The Afrofest festival was presented alongside projects from major companies such as Rosatom, Alfa-Bank, Yandex, T-Bank, Tochka Bank, Rosselkhozbank, Sberbank, and Kaspersky Lab. Despite stiff competition, the project received high praise from experts and was awarded a prize.
The Afrofest festival, held in Kaluga, has become one of the region's notable cultural events in recent years. Currently, the event attracts approximately 30,000 guests and continues to expand its audience. The organizers are confident that in the near future, the festival will reach a new level, attracting over 100,000 visitors.
Special thanks go to the project team, festival participants, and partners, as well as the Presidential Grants Foundation for their support and trust. The leadership of the Kaluga Region, including Governor Vladislav Shapsha, made a significant contribution to the festival's development, facilitating the implementation of the initiative.
According to the organizers, the project's main goal is not only to host a vibrant cultural event but also to create a sustainable platform for humanitarian and business cooperation between Russia and African countries.
The Afrofest festival continues to strengthen its position as a major platform for cultural dialogue and international cooperation.