The Global Wellness Institute’s (GWI) Africa Wellness Initiative (AWI) is hosting its first Africa Wellness Summit on Zoom between 11-12 October.

The Africa Wellness Initiative champions wellness traditions in the region and aims to strengthen the industry in terms of standards and accreditation. The GWI is supporting the initiative by helping to build a database of wellness operators, practitioners and indigenous skills for the benefit of Africa and the global wellness industry.

The two-day event will feature workshops, ceremonies, panel discussions and storytelling. Participants from around the world are invited to learn from speakers and help to shape the vision for the future of African wellness.

The theme of the summit is “The Cradle of Wellness RE-membered”.

Mariane Akwenye, chair, Africa Wellness Initiative, said: “My vision for the summit is to remind the world that wellness did not arrive in Africa; it began here.

“This gathering is not just another event – it is a homecoming to the cradle of wellness, where rituals, fire, plants and ancestral practices have guided our people for centuries,” added Akwenye. “My hope is that attendees leave with more than knowledge – that they leave with a sense of responsibility, a responsibility to honour custodians of ritual, to protect Africa’s intellectual property in wellness and to carry forward practices that are not trends but covenants.”

Topics that will be covered during the summit include the medicinal properties of indigenous plants and herbs, reclaiming wellness practices from appropriation and building sovereign systems of Afrocentric wellbeing.

Africa’s wellness tourism and economics will be discussed by policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders, with a focus on positioning the region as a premier destination for meaningful travel and healing journeys.

A live guided sonic healing session will take place during the event, encompassing vocals and traditional instrumentation.

The organisers hope the summit will propel attendees to build a “revival and reclamation of wellness rooted in empowerment, culture and legacy”.

Michelle Saudan, vice chair, Africa Wellness Initiative, said: “The Africa Wellness Summit was born from a simple question: Why does a dynamic, rich, and powerful continent not have a unified platform to showcase its unique and transformative wellness culture?

“Modalities that have profoundly influenced many modern wellness practices yet often remain under-recognised,” added Saudan. “The summit honours, elevates and preserves these traditions in their authentic form.”

Register to attend the summit here.