The symposium carried the theme of ‘Political cultures in Africa: activism, civic culture and citizenship confronting the challenges of democratic consolidation.’ The symposium has been organized by the Parliamentary Institute of Benin, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), the l’Institut pour la gouvernance démocratique (IGD) and the University of Abomey-Calavi. The President of the National Assembly of Benin, as well as other MPs, representatives of the government of Benin and researchers from Africa and Europe participated in the event.
Dr Piccolino sits on the scientific committee of the symposium and will be in charge of reviewing the participants’ contributions in view of a potential publication. She also delivered a presentation on the challenges of nationalist populism in West Africa, and moderated a roundtable on the Rise of nationalist and pan-Africanist activism in West Africa.