www.USAfricaProject.org

In our continued effort to establish and promote the Goals of the Africa Heritage Foundation, we have launched a site dedicated to highlighting the Major Projects of the Africa Heritage Foundation.

Current Major Projects Include:

1. Africa Day Celebration
2. USAfrica Economic Conference and Expo
3. Bid for the 2018 World Cup in Atlanta, Georgia

We need your support! Visit www.USAfricaProject.org for more information!

Africa Day, Celebrated in Atlanta Georgia

May 25, 2007

“On the occasion of the commemoration of Africa Day, May 25, 2007, I extend my sincere congratulations and warmest greetings to all my African brethren, both on the African continent and in the African Diaspora”, these words marked the opening statement of the Chairman of the African Union Commission, the Honorable Alpha Omar Konare and reverberated around the international community to include the first Africa Day celebration in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Chairperson of the Africa Union continued his remarks and shared his broad based message that “we [Africans] need to change our mindset as Africans at all levels – local, national, regional and continental – and re-direct our energies and efforts towards the mobilization of our resources – human and material – for achieving our lofty objective of building an integrated and developed Africa” and so has been the message of Chief Tunde Adetunji at the Africa World Museum and Africa Heritage Foundation for the past ten years.

The decade long campaign and the undying efforts and dedication of the Africa World Museum and Africa Heritage Foundation came to fruition when the Africa Union flag was unveiled and the Africa Day Celebration began.  The celebration, a follow-up to the successful visit of the Africa Union Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United States on April 29 – May 01, 2007, was very colorful and endorsed the African World Museum and Africa Heritage Foundation’s prime objective of promoting the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia as the gateway of the Africa economy to the USA.

It became a reality that the city of Atlanta apart from New York and Washington has a great affinity for Africa initiative, unity, and progress. The highlight of the celebration was the dedication of the Africa Union flag as a symbol of the collaborative effort between the Africa Heritage Foundation; the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia and the African Union to build a coalition to advance the interests of Africa.

Pastor Gerald Durley of Providence Missionary Baptist Church offers special prayer during the dedication, while Mr. Joe Beasley of Rainbow Push Coalition praised the vision, the mission, and the effort of Chief Tunde Adetunji.  Mr. Beasley spoke on the need to respect and support development in Africa. Mr. John Wilhelm, the {friendship force and member of advisory council on international relation} paid a glowing tribute to the Africa World Museum initiative. He saw the effort of Africa World Museum as a positive move that will promote economic and international relations between the city of Atlanta, state of Georgia and the Africa nation.

Glendon Thompson, President of International Association of Caribbean Organizations and Janet Russell, Travel Planning Specialist, described the occasion as very symbolic, unique, and remarkable. They both described the celebration of the Africa Day and the unveiling of the flag as an identity of Africa’s presence, a ray of hope for unity and cooperation between Africa and the international community. Mr. Moses Mwangi Mukami who runs a non-governmental organization in Kenya was also present during the ceremony. He commended the mission of the Africa World Museum and the Africa Heritage Foundation for creating awareness and promoting s positive image of Africa. He described the unveiling of the African Union Flag as a milestone achievement for a lifetime struggle and belief of the founder.

Chief Tunde Adetunji traced the history of his organization from its humble beginnings and shared how they set a goal which was pursued vigorously with the guide and wish of the almighty God.  Reflecting his hope and aspiration on the future of the “Bridging the Gap and Building the Bridge” project in Georgia, he was emphatic that the unity between the Diaspora and motherland Africa will promote a better understanding, international relationships; and mutual cooperation between Africa and the rest of the world.

The theme for the year’s Africa Day Celebration was “Working Together for Integration and Development” and the Chairman of the Africa Union recognized that “no African country can do this alone.”  Chief Tunde praised the foresight of the African Union for endorsing and supporting his project in Georgia.  He asserted that Africa is becoming an economic power within the global marketplace and Atlanta is the perfect place for this initiative.

The Honorable Alpha Omar Konare, during his Africa Day Celebration address stated “I, therefore, wish to seize this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to our international partners from the other continents:  America, Europe and Asia – for the constant interest and support that they continue to lend to our efforts.  Nonetheless, the onus remains on us.  No one else except Africa has a stake in securing Africa’s future.  The continent must forge a united front in setting and maintaining its own agenda, dictated only by its own needs and the imperative of applying homegrown prescriptions that are adapted to its particular conditions.  The assistance that we obtain from our international partners can only be additional or supplementary to our own hard work and resources.  We are the architects of our own destiny.”

Those who have witnessed the growth of the Africa World Museum and Center; Africa Heritage Foundation and its “Bridging the Gap and Building the Bridge” project are incontrovertibly aware of Chief Tunde’s vision and message that Africa must shape its own destiny and that Africans are the architects of their own destiny.

The message has never been clearer on both local and international fronts and as the Chairman of the African Union reminds us “On this memorable day therefore, forty three years since the inception of our first continental organization, the OAU [now the African Union], I call on all Africans to rise as one, and march together for integration and development.”

Chief Tunde Adetunji has called on all meaningful individuals and organizations to join efforts to support the Africa Village project in Georgia for the benefit of our domestic and international economies, to advance the interests of the African Union and people in the Diaspora and all of mankind.

Africa World Museum was the first organization to bring the exhibition “Celebrate Africa” to Atlanta during the Olympics, the first to take the flag of Georgia to the African Union’s First Pan African Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and the first to bring the Africa Union to Atlanta, Georgia.  It is quite obvious that the Africa World Museum and Africa Heritage Foundation has dedicated its time, resources and talent to realizing the objectives of the African Union, African Nations and African Diaspora Programs and these have cultivated fertile ground for economic growth and prosperity for the future of Africa.   Long live Africa.

VISIT THE AFRICA UNION DAY SECTION