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The 2017 Edition of the Africa Week, organised by UNESCO, will take place on May 22-24 at the headquarters of the organisation in Paris, France, according to a statement released on Tuesday. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation said the theme of this year's Africa Week is: Investing in the youth of Africa.

The three-day event – which is organized by African member states of UNESCO, under the chair of Mozambique – will feature fashion shows, concerts, film screenings, exhibitions and roundtable debates.

Tanzanian and South African fashion designers, Diana Magesa, and Tatenda Sipula, respectively, will be among the creative designers to participate in the fashion show on May 22. Fine leather craft will be on display in a workshop organized by Maison Andridz of Madagascar on May 23; followed by a recital of traditional African stories by Fouma Traoré of Burkina Faso.

"Africa Week is held every year to showcase Africa through the wealth of its cultural and artistic heritage," said UNESCO, also stating that the event is organized to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment on May 25, 1963 of the Organisation of African Unity, which became the African Union in July 2002.

African musicians performing at the event include Cameroonian singer, Patricia Essong, who will hold a concert on May 24 during a children’s programme featuring drums, dance and masks.

Other activities include roundtable debates on the role and prospects of Africa’s youth to be held on May 23-24; and screening of a feature film, Swirl in Bamako, directed by Dominique Philippe, a French film producer, director and screenwriter. Also, young Congolese chef, Dieuveil Malonga, will take command of UNESCO’s restaurant to serve African food, throughout the event.

UNESCO also said the event will be held under the patronage of Alain Claude Billie-By-Nze, Gabon’s Minister of the Digital Economy, Communication, Culture and the Arts.