Takdim

Abstract

The African continent, hosting some of the world's oldest civilizations, is considered the common and universal history of humanity due to its possession of the oral or written heritage of many civilizations. The greatest evidence of this is its ownership of 139 World Heritage sites. Although there is still incomplete data for many African countries in UNESCO records, the recorded data demonstrates the continent's significance in terms of human history. One such record is the Mandé laws, included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage list by UNESCO in 2009. The laws, established by Mali Emperor Sundiata Keita in 1236, constitute a declaration of universal human rights, advocating equality for all, regardless of social status, origin, or belief, and prohibiting slavery. This declaration that human rights are universal was prepared exactly 712 years before the declaration prepared by the United Nations in 1948 and recorded the principle that no life is superior to another in those years.The traces found today in the continent, where such rich civilizations that shaped human history existed, highlight the importance and civilization of Africa. Looking at Anatolia in the same period, in the mid-13th century, one can observe the expressions of equality and tolerance, similar to Sundiata Keita, in the words of Yunus Emre. Despite never having encountered each other in their lifetimes, both significant figures instilled a sense of unity and equality in societies through their words, spreading their worldviews to ancient geographies. Greetings to the Anatolian people with the principle of loving the created for the sake of the Creator, and to the African people, promising equality for everyone regardless of their status, belief, or origin.

In the second issue of our interdisciplinary African Studies journal, we present nine articles, addressing various intriguing topics, including seven focusing on Africa and two on Asia. We hope that each carefully considered study will be beneficial to you and offer enjoyable readings.