First a deputy, then senator of the Republic of Senegal, Mame Birame Diouf was also head of the Centre des Etudes des Civilisations, the Léopold Sedar Senghor Foundation Chairman of the Commission Nationale de la Francophonie, Personal Representative of the President of the Republic to the OIF and Senegal’s Ambassador to UNESCO, Minister of Culture before being appointed State Minister in charge of the organisation of the FESMAN. As such, he specifically runs the National Program for Cultural Development (PNDC), as well as the Head of State’s major cultural projects, such as the African Renaissance Monument, which will be inaugurated during FESMAN 2009.

« The two previous World Festivals of Black Art, in 1966 in Senegal and in 1977 in Nigeria, contributed to raising awareness about the living, dynamic and highly creative cultural wealth of the black world.

Based on these precedents the 3rd Festival, at Dakar in December 2009, is aiming to set in motion a dynamic of progress, to bring about an effective African Renaissance which is duty bound to take charge of its destiny once again and assume its legitimate place in the world. »