Who we are?

We are convinced that the arts and orality foster critical thinking, tolerance and confidence, leading to improved cultural exchange and academic excellence.


Vision

Our vision is to create active, aware, creative and critical citizens of tomorrow’s world.


Missions

Our mission is to democratise the practice of the arts and oral expression as tools for personal, professional and socio-economic development in a context of socio-ecological transition.
To organise face-to-face and online training and learning activities in public speaking on a global scale.
Forge strong partnerships with organisations specialising in public speaking or in a related field in order to broaden our impact and their effects for the benefit of our target audiences.
Target audiences
RIPAO works directly with the world’s youth through schools, universities, community groups or through collaborations with foundations, NGOs, businesses and other development actors.


Objectives

RIPAO has the following objectives
To encourage artistic creativity and innovation in the field of the arts and orality;

  • To encourage intercultural exchange and mutual understanding through the arts and oral traditions,
  • To build the capacity of artists, educators and cultural players in the field of the arts and oral traditions;
  • To contribute to the preservation and promotion of oral heritage through research and documentation initiatives;
  • To promote social inclusion and equal opportunities through access to the arts and oral traditions for all;
  • To contribute to the endogenous and exogenous development of oral traditions;
  • To make orality a driving force for development.

Values

Diversity: Socio-cultural diversity is a fundamental component that guides all our actions and enables us to be more efficient, effective, influential and sustainable in promoting Art and orality.
Equality: gender equality is the key to a balanced society, and we have our sights set on women’s projects, just as we are already working with projects such as We women, African women, etc.
Excellence: In all our activities and our relationships with our partners, we aim for excellence as a minimum standard in the quality of our work.
Ethics: We adhere to the highest ethical standards of transparency, accountability, mutual respect and integrity.
Collaboration: Our strategic partnership approach is one of our greatest strengths. We value and encourage partnerships, networks and mutual strategic relationships with relevant development actors.

Valuing people: We value the people we work with; we recognise that our team, our volunteers, our beneficiaries and our partners are the backbone of our operations. Hence the inclusive and participatory approach we integrate into all our programmes, from planning to evaluation.
Innovation and entrepreneurship: We are constantly exploring creative ways to strengthen civil society. We are agile and responsive to the changing needs of our stakeholders.
Non-discrimination: We believe in and respect the principles of fairness, inclusion and non-discrimination. We are committed to working with all people, without discrimination, to promote open, democratic and developed societies in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and wherever else we are called upon.

Areas of activity

INPAO intends to pursue its objectives by setting up ten well-defined programmes which will be closely monitored by the Directors of Programmes, Training and their teams.
1) International Artistic Residencies (RAI): This programme aims to create opportunities for artists from all over the world to take part in artistic residencies in different countries. The residencies will provide artists with space and resources to develop their artistic practice, encouraging cultural exchange, collaboration and mutual enrichment.
2) Artistic training for disadvantaged young people (FAJD): This programme focuses on access to artistic education for disadvantaged young people. It will offer workshops and training in various artistic disciplines, enabling young people to develop their talents, explore their creativity and boost their self-esteem. The programme also promotes social inclusion and awareness through artistic expression.
3) Arts in Schools (AIS): This programme aims to integrate the arts into the curriculum by working with schools and teachers to develop stimulating and relevant arts activities. It encourages students to engage in artistic projects, develop their appreciation of the arts and strengthen their creative skills.

4) Festivals and Arts Events (FEA): This programme aims to organise large-scale festivals and arts events to promote the arts and orality. These events will provide a platform for local and international artists to showcase their work, while attracting a wide audience and promoting cultural diversity.
5) Strengthening artists’ entrepreneurial skills (RCEA): This programme will provide training and resources to help artists develop their entrepreneurial skills. It will help them to manage their artistic careers, promote their work, find funding opportunities and establish partnerships, thereby contributing to their professional success and the sustainability of their artistic practice.
6) Orality, Youth and Education (OJE)
This programme, which specialises in creation, aims to contribute to :

  • The institutionalisation and support of public speaking societies in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
  • Setting up and supporting youth-education public speaking programmes in the form of games in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The Network’s field experience and human resources in Cameroon are positive factors to be considered for the creation of sub-regional representations.
7) Orality, Heritage Promotion and Intercultural Dialogue (OPDI)

We are convinced that the arts and orality foster critical thinking, tolerance and confidence, leading to improved cultural exchange and academic excellence.


Vision

Our vision is to create active, aware, creative and critical citizens of tomorrow’s world.


Missions

Our mission is to democratise the practice of the arts and oral expression as tools for personal, professional and socio-economic development in a context of socio-ecological transition.
To organise face-to-face and online training and learning activities in public speaking on a global scale.
Forge strong partnerships with organisations specialising in public speaking or in a related field in order to broaden our impact and their effects for the benefit of our target audiences.
Target audiences
RIPAO works directly with the world’s youth through schools, universities, community groups or through collaborations with foundations, NGOs, businesses and other development actors.


Objectives

RIPAO has the following objectives
To encourage artistic creativity and innovation in the field of the arts and orality;

  • To encourage intercultural exchange and mutual understanding through the arts and oral traditions,
  • To build the capacity of artists, educators and cultural players in the field of the arts and oral traditions;
  • To contribute to the preservation and promotion of oral heritage through research and documentation initiatives;
  • To promote social inclusion and equal opportunities through access to the arts and oral traditions for all;
  • To contribute to the endogenous and exogenous development of oral traditions;
  • To make orality a driving force for development.

Values

Diversity: Socio-cultural diversity is a fundamental component that guides all our actions and enables us to be more efficient, effective, influential and sustainable in promoting Art and orality.
Equality: gender equality is the key to a balanced society, and we have our sights set on women’s projects, just as we are already working with projects such as We women, African women, etc.
Excellence: In all our activities and our relationships with our partners, we aim for excellence as a minimum standard in the quality of our work.
Ethics: We adhere to the highest ethical standards of transparency, accountability, mutual respect and integrity.
Collaboration: Our strategic partnership approach is one of our greatest strengths. We value and encourage partnerships, networks and mutual strategic relationships with relevant development actors.

Valuing people: We value the people we work with; we recognise that our team, our volunteers, our beneficiaries and our partners are the backbone of our operations. Hence the inclusive and participatory approach we integrate into all our programmes, from planning to evaluation.
Innovation and entrepreneurship: We are constantly exploring creative ways to strengthen civil society. We are agile and responsive to the changing needs of our stakeholders.
Non-discrimination: We believe in and respect the principles of fairness, inclusion and non-discrimination. We are committed to working with all people, without discrimination, to promote open, democratic and developed societies in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and wherever else we are called upon.

Areas of activity

INPAO intends to pursue its objectives by setting up ten well-defined programmes which will be closely monitored by the Directors of Programmes, Training and their teams.
1) International Artistic Residencies (RAI): This programme aims to create opportunities for artists from all over the world to take part in artistic residencies in different countries. The residencies will provide artists with space and resources to develop their artistic practice, encouraging cultural exchange, collaboration and mutual enrichment.
2) Artistic training for disadvantaged young people (FAJD): This programme focuses on access to artistic education for disadvantaged young people. It will offer workshops and training in various artistic disciplines, enabling young people to develop their talents, explore their creativity and boost their self-esteem. The programme also promotes social inclusion and awareness through artistic expression.
3) Arts in Schools (AIS): This programme aims to integrate the arts into the curriculum by working with schools and teachers to develop stimulating and relevant arts activities. It encourages students to engage in artistic projects, develop their appreciation of the arts and strengthen their creative skills.

4) Festivals and Arts Events (FEA): This programme aims to organise large-scale festivals and arts events to promote the arts and orality. These events will provide a platform for local and international artists to showcase their work, while attracting a wide audience and promoting cultural diversity.
5) Strengthening artists’ entrepreneurial skills (RCEA): This programme will provide training and resources to help artists develop their entrepreneurial skills. It will help them to manage their artistic careers, promote their work, find funding opportunities and establish partnerships, thereby contributing to their professional success and the sustainability of their artistic practice.
6) Orality, Youth and Education (OJE)
This programme, which specialises in creation, aims to contribute to :

  • The institutionalisation and support of public speaking societies in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
  • Setting up and supporting youth-education public speaking programmes in the form of games in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The Network’s field experience and human resources in Cameroon are positive factors to be considered for the creation of sub-regional representations.
7) Orality, Heritage Promotion and Intercultural Dialogue (OPDI)

The aim is to

  • Safeguard the traditional oral intangible heritage of the target area
  • Enhance traditional oral practices via platforms of expression offered to the bearers of orature.
  • Strengthen the skills of traditional orators in order to boost the performance of modern orators.
  • Promote intercultural dialogue between the civilisations of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, between older people and between young people and older people.

8) Orality, Research and Innovation (ORI)
This is one of RIPAO’s key sectors specialising in broadcasting. It consists of

  • Setting up research groups on orature and the modern oratorical arts in order to define its field of expertise
  • Produce permanent publications on orature and the speaking arts in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.


The Head of Documentation and Research will be responsible for this area.
9) Orality, new technologies and media (ONTEM)
Specific to broadcasting and distribution, this programme consists of :

  • Combining public speaking with new technologies in all forms of expression: collections, dissemination, distribution, training, championships and other events.
  • Monitoring public speaking events around the world for the benefit of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries through the use of the media.
  • Develop the relationship between public speaking companies and the cultural industries (television, press [paper or electronic], radio, internet, video games, etc.).

10) Orality, Peace and Democracy (APAD)
This programme takes public speaking beyond the realm of games, encouraging young people to take up the causes of peace, diversity and mutual respect, so that they contribute to the fight against violent extremism rather than fuelling it.

  • In countries at peace, it aims to contribute to civic participation and prevent conflicts linked to the absence of dialogue.
  • In post-crisis countries, the aim is to strengthen dialogue and reconciliation through the use of the spoken word.