# Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together

"Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together" (Arabic: فلنتحد جميعا ونحتفل معا; French: Unissons-nous tous et célébrons ensemble; Portuguese: Vamos todos nos unir e celebrar juntos; Spanish: Unámonos todos y celebremos juntos; Swahili: Hebu wote kuungana na kusherehekea pamoja) is the anthem of the African Union (AU). It was written as a poem titled "Proud to be African" by Ethiopian poet Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin, while the music was composed by Kenyan choral composer Arthur Mudogo Kemoli. It had served as the anthem of the former Organisation of African Unity since 1986 before being adopted by the newly formed Union in 2002.

## History

The anthem was written as a poem titled "Proud to be African" by Ethiopian poet Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin. Kenyan choral composer Arthur Mudogo Kemoli composed the anthem's music in Dakar, Senegal in 1986 and it was selected as the anthem of the AU's predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), as part of a contest. That same year, the OAU honoured Tsegaye with the OAU African Unity Anthem Prize for writing the anthem.
After the AU's formation in 2002, it organised a contest to establish official symbols of the Union, including a flag, emblem and anthem. The competition's brief for the anthem included that its short form for official ceremonies (first stanzas or two verses and chorus) should not exceed one minute in length and that each entry should include lyrics, sheet music, a good recording and an explanatory note and be submitted in one of the working languages of the AU. The brief stated that the symbols should draw inspiration from a number of values including struggle, independence, labour, unity, justice and hope. The competition was to last until 25 April 2003 and the three best entries were to be presented and the symbols chosen at a session of the AU Assembly in Maputo, Mozambique in July 2003 with the first-, second- and third-place winners receiving US$7,000, US$5,000 and US$3,000 cash prizes, respectively.
The competition did not attract many participants; eventually, it was abandoned and the old OAU symbols were instead retained as the new symbols for the AU (including the OAU anthem, which was retained as the anthem of the new bloc).

## Lyrics

| English version | Arabic version | French version |
| I Let us all unite and celebrate together The victories won for our liberation Let us dedicate ourselves to rise together To defend our liberty and unity Chorus: O Sons and Daughters of Africa Flesh of the Sun and Flesh of the Sky Let us make Africa the Tree of Life II Let us all unite and sing together To uphold the bonds that frame our destiny Let us dedicate ourselves to fight together For lasting peace and justice on earth Chorus III Let us all unite and toil together To give the best we have to Africa The cradle of mankind and fount of culture Our pride and hope at break of dawn. Chorus | I هيا بنا لتوحيد صفوفنا والاحتفال بالانتصارات املحققة لتحريرنا كرجل واحد هيا بنا جميعا للدفاع عن حريتنا ووحدتنا كورال: يا أبناء وبنات أفريقيا لب الشمس وكبد السماء أفريقيا شجرة الحياة II هيا بنا لتوحيد صفوفنا بالاناشيد نرفع اصواتنا بالروابط نقرر مصيرنا للكفاح نكرس حياتنا من أجل السلام على اراضينا كورال III هيا بنا لتوحيد صفوفنا والعمل بكل ما في وسعنا في سبيل أفريقيا نضحي بأنفسنا مهد البشر أفريقيا هي عزتنا والفجر أملنا كورال | I Unissons-nous tous et célébrons ensemble, Les victoires de notre libération. Engageons-nous et levons-nous tous comme un seul homme, Pour défendre notre liberté et unité. Refrain: Oh Chers fils et filles de l'Afrique, Chair du Soleil et Chair du Ciel, Faisons de l'Afrique l'Arbre de Vie. II Unissons-nous et chantons tous ensemble, Pour maintenir les liens de notre destin. Consacrons-nous et combattons tous comme un seul homme, Pour la paix et la justice durables sur terre. Refrain III Unissons-nous et travaillons dur ensemble, Pour donner le meilleur de nous à l'Afrique, Berceau de l'humanité et source de la culture, Notre fierté et l´espérance au levé du jour. Refrain |
| Portuguese version | Spanish version | Swahili version |
| I Unámo-nos e celebramos juntos, As vitórias da nossa libertação. Dediquemo-nos e levantemos todos, Para defender nossa liberdade e unidade. Coro: Oh filhos e filhas de África, Essência do Sol e Essência do Céu, Façamos de África a Árvore da Vida. II Unámo-nos e cantemos juntos, Para manter laços do nosso destino. Dediquemo-nos e combatemos todos, Para paz durável e justiça sobre a Terra. Coro III Unámo-nos e trabalhemos juntos, Para dar melhor de nós à África, Berço da humanidade e fonte da cultura, Nosso orgulho e esperança para sempre. Coro | I Unámonos y celebremos juntos Las victorias ganadas para nuestra liberación Dediquémonos a levantarnos juntos Para defender nuestra libertad y unidad. Coro: Oh hijos y hijas de África Carne del sol y carne del cielo Hagamos de África el Árbol de la vida. II Unámonos y cantemos juntos Para mantener lazos que enmarcan nuestro destino Dediquémonos a luchar juntos Por una paz y justicia en la tierra. Coro III Unámonos y trabajemos juntos Para dar lo mejor que tenemos a África La cuna de la humanidad y fuente de la cultura Nuestro orgullo y esperanza del amanecer. Coro | I Tuungane sote na tusherehekee pamoja Ushindi kwa ukumbozi wetu Tujitoe wenyewe tusimame pamoja Kuulii nda uhuru na umoja wetu. Kwaya: Enyi bwana na binti wa Afrika Mwili wa jua, mwili wa Anga Tuifanye Afrika m´ti wa uzima. II Tuungane sote tuimbe pamoja Kuenzi mshika mano hatima yetu Tujitoe wenyewe kupamba na pamoja Uhuru na umoja vitawale. Kwaya III Tuungane sote na tujibidishe Kutoa kilicho bora kwa Afrika Chimbuko la wana dam chemchem yauta maduni Tumaini letu wakati wa mafarakano. Kwaya |