The brochure says the Boston Pan-African Forum (BPAF) is a tax-exempt membership organization created in 1997 to promote an understanding of social, economic, political and other issues affecting relations between Americans and peoples of African descent around the world. BPAF activities have included: hosting a reception in Roxbury for U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan; jointly sponsoring with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the U.S. African Studies Association speaker programs by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Susan Rice; co-sponsoring with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts showings of six new films by African film makers. The BPAF also co-sponsored, with the New...
The brochure says the Boston Pan-African Forum (BPAF) is a tax-exempt membership organization created in 1997 to promote an understanding of social, economic, political and other issues affecting relations between Americans and peoples of African descent around the world. BPAF activities have included: hosting a reception in Roxbury for U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan; jointly sponsoring with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the U.S. African Studies Association speaker programs by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Susan Rice; co-sponsoring with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts showings of six new films by African film makers. The BPAF also co-sponsored, with the New England Community of Tanzanians, a send-off reception for the Rev. Charles Stith, newly appointed as U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania. The BPAF is organizing the New England activities associated with the National Summit on Africa, which is a process of public education and deliberation regarding U.S. relations with the countries and peoples of Africa. A major Policy Plan of Action will be adopted by delegates elected from each state at a national Summit meeting in Washington D.C. in February, 2000; the New England meeting will be held in Boston on July 16- 17. New England delegates may also participate in an Eastern States meeting in Baltimore in the late summer. Expert groups have prepared background papers on five themes: Economic development, Trade and Investment; Democracy and Human Rights, Environment and Quality of Life; Peace and Security; and Education and Culture. The BPAF Board of Directors includes: Dr. A. lbitayo Akinwande, Chairman and Vice President, Assoc. Prof. Electrical Engineering, MIT; Vicki Meredith, Treasurer, CEO Alternatives Unlimited; James Ransom, Clerk/Secretary, Epidemiologist, State of MA; Robert Johnson Jr., Asst. Prof., U. MA; James Pritchett, Director, African Studies Program. and Assoc. Prof. Anthropology, B.U.; Magueye Seek, Assoc. Prof., Curry College; Maureen Idehen, Pres. Nigerian Pro-Democracy Group; Franklin Ollivierre. Asst. to the Director, MassPort. The Advisory Board includes: Dr Willard R. Johnson, Prof. Emeritus, MIT; Dr. Jemadari Kamara, Prof., U.MA; Dr. Pearl Robinson, Prof., Tufts Univ.; Mr. Roy Neblett, CEO, Neblett Accountants; and Exec. Dir./Consultant Kelley C. Chunn.
