To preserve the hall’s rich history for future generations, renovation works started in 2015. The renovation project was needed to maintain the hall’s historical and cultural integrity while upgrading it to meet contemporary standards. Included in the renovation were state-of-the-art technologies to support an increased number of delegations from the African Union, which had grown to more than 54 member states.
The historic Africa Hall building in Ethiopia has been transformed through a complete refurbishment to provide outstanding facilities for delegates. A VITEC IPTV and digital signage solution powers informative and engaging video content throughout the building to provide a contemporary audiovisual experience befitting of the site’s prestige.
The integration of VITEC’s solution has transformed the delegate experience, providing them with access to vital information and engaging content throughout the building. We’ve helped create a modern, dynamic environment that reflects the importance of this historic venue, and we are confident it will serve future generations of African leaders well.
— Vassilis Kyriazis,
Electrical & Electronic Engineer, MS COO – Audiovisual Division, Telmaco
The system is used to acquire licensed feeds as well as local camera feeds, and power digital signage throughout the building, stretching as far as displays in the adjacent Visitor Entry Building. All video content is distributed via VITEC’s IPTV solution.
Africa Hall is the home of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city. The historic building has stood as a proud symbol of progress for the continent since its completion in 1961. Africa Hall was the birthplace of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, laying the groundwork for today’s African Union.
It was important that the refurbishment maintained the character of the building and remained sympathetic to its original design, and great efforts were made to retain its unique aspects. As part of works, the original 150m² stained glass triptych mural (titled “The Total Liberation of Africa”) which encapsulates the past, present and future of Africa, was painstakingly disassembled, cleaned and restored.
