Mailing sent out as a fax. The Boston Pan-African Forum (BPAF) has been designated to organize the New England regional summit (one of seven regional summits) as part of the National Summit on Africa to be held in Washington D.C. in November, 1999. The National Summit on Africa aims to develop a new policy agenda for U.S. Africa relations at all levels, to educate Americans about Africa, and to broaden and strengthen U.S. constituencies for Africa. The first regional conference was held in Atlanta in June; nearly 3,500 people attended. The second regional conference will be in Chicago September 24-27; it is expected to involve 7,000 people. The New England regional conference will be a three-...
Mailing sent out as a fax. The Boston Pan-African Forum (BPAF) has been designated to organize the New England regional summit (one of seven regional summits) as part of the National Summit on Africa to be held in Washington D.C. in November, 1999. The National Summit on Africa aims to develop a new policy agenda for U.S. Africa relations at all levels, to educate Americans about Africa, and to broaden and strengthen U.S. constituencies for Africa. The first regional conference was held in Atlanta in June; nearly 3,500 people attended. The second regional conference will be in Chicago September 24-27; it is expected to involve 7,000 people. The New England regional conference will be a three- to four-day event in Boston in September, to be preceded by activities in the Spring and Summer. The regional goals are in keeping with the goals of the National Summit: * Provide accurate and context sensitive information about Africa to the general population * Develop an environment in which economic, social and political issues relating to Africa and U.S. foreign policy towards Africa are discussed * Develop a broad constituency in the region to encourage and advocate positive U.S.-African governmental as well as people-to-people relations based on mutuality and reciprocity. * Develop an environment that fosters increased U.S. trade, investment, development, educational, and cultural ties with Africa. The BPAF plans to work with other New England organizations to define the agenda for the regional summit and to impact the national summit process. The BPAF embraces all the goals and objectives of the National Board of Directors and Secretariat for the National Summit on Africa; however, it is adding two unique features: (i) a strategy that emphasizes involving people and civic organizations (what we call a "People First" approach), and (ii) a process of direct communication and interchange with counterpart groups on the African continent through teleconferences. The "People First" approach aims to reach out to all segments of New England society, including poor/working and disempowered people, as well as government, business, academia, and civil society organizations and individuals. These sectors have been identified: * Grass-roots organizations * Religious organizations * African Studies Programs in New England Universities * Media Organizations * Business Groups * Health Care Groups * K-12 Educational Institutions * Cultural Organizations * State and Local Governments * Labor Unions.
