OUR STORY 

À Dyà Zù-Zù: Organization for Development through Cultural Expression was formed in late 2018 following a series of discussions surrounding the significant challenges that musicians, artists, writers, creatives, and everyday people face in the West African nation of Liberia. There are many things Liberia is known for including being the first independent republic on the continent of Africa; a founding member of the League of Nations and a signatory to the charter of the United Nations in 1945; considered one of the fastest growing economies in the world in the 1970s; home to football legend and current president of the Republic of Liberia, George “Oppong” Weah; paved the way for the development of the Organization of African Unity, currently known as the African Union, whose charter was signed in the Liberian city of Sanniquellie in 1963; and originator of the sounds that later became known as Highlife music in Ghana and palm wine music. 

Even with these great achievements, Liberia is more often than not, remembered for the brutal civil wars, Ebola crises, and a decades-long economic depression. Lost within these difficult narratives, are the rich aspects of Liberian history, culture, and innovation including music, fashion, drama, literature, artisanry, cuisine, visual arts, and other traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) and knowledge that make up the unique identities of the Liberian people. Additionally, the formal and informal market within Liberia and abroad is not conducive to Liberians producing, distributing, and benefiting from their own creative works and intellectual property.

We believe that our work to protect culture and heritage, promote creative and cultural expressions, and develop infrastructures and policies that encourage cultural economic development in Liberia, will have a significant economic and social benefit to the people and their nation. We also believe it will give Liberians the opportunity to restore pride in their cultural identity and values, create a space in which people can heal from past national traumas, and give Liberians the opportunity to rewrite the narrative about their nation, its people, and its culture. À Dyà Zù-Zù is a local phrase for “we bring the heat,” and is meant to symbolize that this is a movement to bring hope and inspiration to the Liberian people and actively engage them in the economic development and growth of the nation.

À Dyà Zù-Zù is a registered 501c(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization in the United States and registered to operate in the Republic of Liberia. We are a network of individuals, associations, businesses, and international partners with a unified vision and mission to build a creative and cultural economy within Liberia as a means for economic growth and sustainable development. We welcome all who wish to work with us in our initiative to promote Liberia.

Mission

Our mission is to empower and unite the diverse people of Liberia as active participants in their individual, community, and national development by harnessing the actualizing and mobilizing capacity of their unique creative, artistic, and inventive culture.

VISION

Our vision is that the people of Liberia will take a leadership role in shaping the future and development of the nation, through preserving the culture, values, and identity, with the realization that the country’s greatest natural resources is its people and culture.