The morning of the 9th Pan-African Congress was marked by a session of rare power: “Correct the Map”. How have maps inherited from the Western world, particularly the Mercator projection, shaped our perception of Africa? How can we change the world’s view of the continent — and above all, how can Africa change its own view of itself?
Ms. Moky Makura and other speakers delivered profound reflections on the decolonization of representations, the healing of historical traumas, and the need for Pan-Africanism in action.
🗺️ “Correct the Map” — Change the Map, Change the Narrative
Africa is actually 14 to 15 times larger than Greenland, yet on the current world map, Greenland appears as large as the African continent. This is an erroneous projection.
Cartographic projections — like the Mercator projection — have systematically reduced Africa visually, contributing to its symbolic marginalization in the global imagination.
This session demonstrated that the battle for geographic truth is also a battle for dignity, identity, and fair representation of the continent and its diasporas. We must restore Africa’s greatness on the world map.
Prof. Robert DUSSEY and Moky MAKURA
Moky Makura
“In a world where size is often synonymous with power, distorting Africa’s true scale reinforces false and harmful ideas about its geopolitical and economic importance.”
“We are trying to change the way the world sees Africa, but above all, the way Africa sees itself.”
” When Africa is distorted on the map, Africa is diminished in people’s minds. “
✊ Three Actions to Change Things
1
Sign the petition at correctthemap.org
2
Observe the maps around you: at your children’s school, in your offices, on websites. If it’s the wrong projection, speak up and get it changed.
3
Mobilize your circles: families, friends, colleagues, institutions. Change starts with us.
To government members: Help advocate for policies that recognize that map accuracy is a matter of dignity, identity, and fair representation.
🎯 The Message of This Morning
Correcting the map means correcting the way we view Africa.
Healing the traumas of slavery and colonization.
Making Pan-Africanism no longer just a discourse,
but a concrete practice of transformation.
📌 Key Takeaways
- Western maps have reduced Africa in the global imagination
- Africa is 14 to 15 times larger than Greenland
- Changing the map = changing the narrative about the continent
- Pan-Africanism must be Sankofa (return to roots) and Ubuntu (shared humanity)
- Africa must no longer be a “footnote” but the main subject
- This Congress is not an end — it’s a springboard for radical change
📣 Stay Connected
🌍 Official website: https://pac9-lome2024.com