After its kick-off “Cultural Night” on Sunday, this year’s Africa Week, “Media and Development in Africa,” will continue with a packed week of events.

On Tuesday, Sam Mchombo, an associate professor of linguistics and director of the African Language Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, will deliver the keynote address, “The Role of the Media in Fostering Democracy in Africa.”

Mchombo’s speech will take place in the Memorial Union Sun Room. It runs from 8-9:30 p.m. and will be followed by a small reception. Admission is free.

Wednesday, a panel discussion, “Indigenous African Knowledge vs. Western Knowledge and Development in Africa,” will be held.

“The panel discussion is very important with our theme,” said Onward Mandebvu, president of the African Students Association. “The theme is whether westernization over traditional African wisdom and culture is an improvement or a detriment.”

The discussion panelists include Robert E. Mazur, associate professor of sociology; D.M. Warren, professor of anthropology; Waheeb B. Wahab, director of the Indigenous Knowledge Center at Ibandan Polytechnic in Nigeria and Semakaleng Lebepe-Mazur, a post-doctoral student from South Africa.

The discussion will take place from 12 to 1 p.m. in the South Ball Room of the Memorial Union. There is no charge to attend.

Africa Week will come to a close on Friday with a movie night featuring Neria. Filmed in Zimbabwe, Neria shows the role of media, society and law in the change and improvement of the status of African women, Mandebvu said.

After its 1992 release, Neria became the most successful film in Zimbabwe’s history, according to Development through Self-Reliance, Inc. The film won 10 international awards including Best Foreign Film at the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame festival.

The movie will be shown from 7 to 10 p.m. in Rooms 244 and 246 of the Memorial Union. Admission is free.

Originally from Zimbabwe, Mandebvu is a graduate student in industrial education and technology. He is also a tenured professor of industrial technology teacher education at the University of Zimbabwe.