Addis Ababa — Member States of the African Union were called up on to promote and value African culture and languages in their day to day activities.

"We are in a major crisis of identity. Our continent is not moving forward. Some of our languages have been forgotten or neglected. Our development has to start with our culture," AUC Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare said opening the first Pan African Cultural Congress adding it was time for action rescue the continent in this regard.

"The Congress is therefore not only an opportunity to take stock of African culture, to examine recent developments in the filed, but also a call on action to turn the tide in the struggle to halt the cultural decline threatening the continent," he added.

He said non-African languages in Africa were exerting various problems on the use of the education curriculum and other areas.

Konare indicated that lack of proper budgeting for culture and colonial era contributed for the current identity crisis he said was being observed in many member countries.

"Only less than one % of budget goes to culture in each of the countries in our continent. We should put a lot of emphasis on African culture. If we don't preserve our languages, we can't ever be able to preserve our culture,"Konare told participants.

"Our languages need to be practiced in our schools and work places.

The majority of African countries use non-African languages in their day to day activities, which AU says is contributing for the extinction of the African original langues.

The congress, being held under the theme"Culture, Integration and African Renaissance" was organized to review and assess the cultural sector in Africa, and consider challenges and opportunities in order to draw strategies and appropriate programmes.

According to Some participants of the congress, Africa needs a renaissance in its move to come out of "cultural and identity crisis" "Putting Africa's people and their interests at the center of socio-economic development on the continent, including the conservation and development of culture, is a precondition for the continent's re-birth or renaissance," the attendants said.

Cultural parishioners from Africa are attending the congress, which is expected to contribute to renewal of African thought, identity and philosophy among others.