The next Innovation Summit, a major event seeing African policy-makers come together to discuss the subject of education, will be held from 3-5 December 2019 in Accra, Ghana. The event has become a key date in the calendar for Canon due to its pioneering work in the education of young African professionals.

Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com), a division of Canon Middle East (founded in 2015) and a subsidiary of Canon Europe, will be attending the Africa Summit for the first time as a partner. The Summit represents an African ministerial forum that brings together leaders and senior officials from more than 40 countries to discuss education, innovation and information technology.

Education is one of the key areas of commitment in Africa for the worldwide leader in providing imaging solutions to businesses and private customers, which has been active in Africa for 15 years now.

The Miraisha Program, launched in 2014 in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, has implemented many initiatives to support young Africans. The demographic change of the continent is extremely dynamic: by 2050, Africa’s population will double, growing from 1 billion today to 2.4 billion in 30 years, with half of this figure accounting for under-25s.

Faced with this positive scenario, the Miraisha Program, which finds its origins in Kyosei – living and working together for the common good (in Japanese) – Canon’s fundamental corporate value, aims to develop employment in key African markets through regular education initiatives.

This is the objective that has since been met through several iconic partnerships.

In Ghana, Canon has partnered up with a local partner, MFI Ghana, to help train and advance the skills of 22 printers in Accra and the surrounding region which are currently struggling with an influx of international suppliers that threaten their market share. Colour management, use of dedicated software, and in-store services are just a few of the training points that selected printers touch on during their courses.

In Nigeria, Canon has become a partner at the School of Arts, Design & Printing at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos. Due to this development, 80 students have benefited from a week of training by an expert coach from Canon, giving them access to the latest generation of printing machines.

In Kenya, Canon has signed a partnership with the Kenya Film Commission, the promotion body for the Kenyan film industry, established by the government in 2005. This partnership has led to the formation of a video club to spread awareness of and promote the film industry, as well as the establishment of training sessions for local directors and producers, giving them the opportunity to write and shoot a short film within a six-day period on digital camera units.

In Uganda, Canon is supporting the Uganda Press Photo Award (UPPA) for a fourth year. The eighth edition of the photography and photo-journalism competition rewards Ugandan and East-African photographers and photo-journalists whose work represents a remarkable contribution to African photography, freedom of information and education in the visual image. This support includes a mentoring program for three young photographers at a time who can enjoy the use of photographic equipment and a scholarship.

A range of presentations, including one by Somesh Adukia the Managing Director of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA), will emphasize the existence of opportunities for exchanges at the Africa Summit with exhibitors and different government representatives all in attendance at a unique event on 3 December. All attendees at the event are encouraged to engage the Canon delegation for further discussions.