By Adedapo Adesanya
Twitter is bringing #AfricaToTheWorld with the introduction of a new hashmoji ahead of Burna Boy’s historical moment as the first Nigerian artist to headline Madison Square Garden on April 28, 2022.
This forms part of the broader #TwitterVoices initiative aimed at elevating African leaders’ and influencer voices on the platform and encouraging people on the continent to share their impact with the world.
Over the years, #AfricaToTheWorld has been a mainstay on Twitter and has been widely used to recognise the continued progression of Africans’ global influence.
It has been effective in amplifying the many voices sharing powerful, personal impact stories as exports that shape the continent’s image and influence across the globe.
The Grammy award-winning artist’s highly anticipated performance, at the world-renowned venue, presents a unique opportunity for Twitter to generate a groundswell of excitement around what is set to be one of this year’s biggest cultural moments, towards celebrating more “firsts” from other African voices.
The custom hashmoji, which can be activated by Tweeting #AfricaToTheWorld, is designed to drive engagement among music lovers on the TL in the lead up to Burna Boy’s “Lost in Space” concert and to spotlight conversations around the achievements of African voices and communities.
There will be a series of moderator-hosted Spaces ahead of the concert, showcasing trailblazing African leaders, sharing stories of their own “firsts” and about their work to a global audience, truly exemplifying #AfricaToTheWorld.
And on April 28, dubbed Burna Day, voices on Twitter will be invited to join in the conversation by sharing videos and Tweets about their “firsts” and their own ways of bringing #AfricaTotheWorld.
The Twitter Voices #AfricaToTheWorld campaign will be bookended with a #TweetSuite experience at the landmark concert, where 18 voices and partners will be invited to commemorate the historic moment together, in a celebration of culture and joy.
In a statement, Senior Manager, Global Culture & Community, Ms Bukky Ojeifo said, “This campaign represents a convening of great talents from Africa and the Diaspora with a common desire to champion conversations and moments that centre the importance of #AfricaToTheWorld. It is our hope to leverage this unique, once in a lifetime first from Burna Boy to celebrate other powerful African voices in a truly meaningful way.”
The #TwitterVoices initiative is aimed at tapping into and amplifying the conversations that matter most to the voices who use the platform each day.