President-Elect Obama to be Focus of Global Black Leaders

Count Down to State of the Black World Conference

President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama to be Focus of Global Black Leaders

Our Agenda in Our Time

Register Now!
State of the Black World Conference
Nov. 19 – 23, 2008
New Orleans, LA
Ernest R. Morial Convention Center
Hotel: Astor Crown Plaza
(Conference Headquarters, Rooms still available!)
739 Canal Street, adjacent to the French Quarter, 504-962-0500

Discount Airfares Still Available!

Click Here to Check Us Out on Facebook (and Become a Fan!)

Call Us Toll Free: (888) 774-2921 or (917) 686-0854

Contact Carolyn McClair, SOBWC Administrator

And . . .

MIN. FARRAKHAN IS COMING!!

As hundreds of participants prepare to journey to New Orleans for the potentially milestone conference, we are delighted to announce that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam and the visionary architect of the historic Million Man March and Day of Atonement, has agreed to attend the conference to accept the Institute of the Black World’s Legacy Award and deliver the keynote address at the final session, The Call to Faith and Struggle, Sunday, November 23. Minister Farrakhan’s address will be a fitting climax to the SOBWC given his strong support for the process of building the Institute of the Black World over the years.


SPECIAL SESSION ON HAITI

Building a constituency for Haiti in the U.S., particularly among African Americans is the principal international work of IBW via the Haiti Support Project. Accordingly, Dr. Ron Daniels has asked Massachusetts State Representative Marie St. Fleur and Dr. Joseph Baptiste, President of the National Organization for the Advancement of Haitians (NOAH), to join him in Co-Convening a Special Session on Haiti, Friday November 21, 9:00 am – 12:00 Noon at the Astor Crowne Plaza, the headquarters hotel for SOBWC. An invitation has been extended to President Rene Preval or his designee to attend the conference to participate in this session and the Pan African Policy Forum. Congress Members John Conyers, Donald Payne, Yvette Clarke, Gregory Meeks and Kendrick Meek have also been invited to participate in this session – which will take up the following agenda:

▪ Key policy issues which should be addressed by the new administration in order to enhance the process of democracy and development in Haiti.

▪ Creating an effective humanitarian aid and developmental assistance network in the African American community with an emphasis on the education.

▪ Promoting cultural-historical tourism, especially among African Americans, as an important source of economic development.


PAN AFRICAN POLICY FORUM

IBW/SOBWC is eager to contribute to the process of forging mutually beneficial bonds among people of African descent throughout the Black World to achieve the following basic goals:

▪ Promote cultural and educational exchanges as the basis for building functional unity

▪ Encourage cultural historical tourism as a source for economic development for people of African descent nations and countries with significant African populations. Encourage economic/business investment

▪ Encourage the practice of Pan Africanism within the increasing diverse African community in the U.S. by building bridges and promoting operational unity among Continental Africans, Caribbean Americans, Afro-Latinos and African Americans.

▪ Positively impact U.S. policy towards Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America


Schedule for Pan African Policy Forum

Friday, November 21, 1:00 – 5:00 PM -- A Heads of State, Ministerial, Ambassadorial and Government level Roundtable:

▪ The Role of the Diaspora in Developing Sustainable African Nations

Saturday, November 22, 10:30 AM - 6:30 PM -- Three sessions focused on the following themes/issues:

▪ The New “Scramble” for Africa: Challenges and Opportunities -- 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

▪ Envisioning the Future of Africa in 2050 -- 2:30 - 5:00 PM

▪ Mobilizing the Diaspora to Impact Policy Toward Africa and the Caribbean -- 5:00 - 6:30 PM

Confirmed and Invited Speakers and Panelists Include:
Hon. Dudley Thompson, former Foreign Minister and Minister of Security, Jamaica
Hon. Zainab Bangura, Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone *
Hon. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinola, Governor of Osun State, Nigeria *
Hon. H.E. Amina Ali, African Union Ambassador to the U.S.
Dr. Ousmane Sene, Director, West African Research Center, Senegal
Danny Glover, Chairman of the Board, Trans Africa Forum
Emira Woods, Co-Director, Foreign Focus, Institute of Policy Studies
Nicole C. Lee, President, Trans Africa Forum
Dr. Niara Sudarkasa, President Emeritus, Lincoln University
Dr. James Turner, Chairman Emeritus, Africana Studies/Research Center, Cornell University
Maurice Carney, Friends of the Congo
Ben Afrifa, African Federation
Briggs Bomba, Africa Action
James Early, Director, Cultural Heritage, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Joseph Beasley, President African Ascensions
Dr. Jemadari Kamara, Black Studies Department, UMass/Boston
Minister Akbar Muhammad, Nation of Islam

*Invited/confirmation pending


OPENING PLENARY/INDABA TO SHOWCASE NEW GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP

One of the highlights of SOBWC will be the inclusion of a new generation of young Black leaders in all aspects of the conference. The Opening INDABA will showcase some of the most outstanding young leaders in Black America. Moderated by Africana Studies Scholar, Activist and Cultural Artist Dr. Kimberly C. Ellis, the opening panel on "The Future of the Black Freedom Struggle" will include:

Monifa Akinwole Bandele, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
Bakari Kitwana, Author / Cultural Critic, "The Hip Hop Generation"
Malika Sanders, 21st Century Movement, Selma Alabama
Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, Correspondent, Fox News, Professor, Temple University
Davey D, Hip Hop Journalist, "Breakdown FM"
Veronica Conway, CCPC, Black Professional Coaches Alliance

Post-Discussant:

Dr. James Turner, Chairman Emeritus, Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University will offer opening remarks on the historic role of young leadership in liberations struggles as context for the panel discussion.

Dr. Ron Daniels, President of IBW will conclude the session with the Keynote Address.


CYRIL NEVILLE TO HEADLINE CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA
LEGACY AWARDS TO BE PRESENTED TO OUTSTANDING LEADERS

High profile edu-tainment and fundraising event, Saturday evening November 22,, 9:30 PM – 12:00 AM to honor long distance leaders in the Black Freedom Struggle and concluding with a “Party with a Purpose.” Music by Cyril Neville (of the Neville Brothers) and Tribe 13. Poetry and Spoken Word by Haki Madhubuti and Sonia Sanchez with invited guest Talib Kweli.

Legacy Awards

Hon. Dudley Thompson, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Susan Taylor, Danny Glover, Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan, Dr. Vincent Harding, Sonia Sanchez, Haki Madhubuti, Congressman John Conyers, President Imari Obadele, Dr. Adelaide Sanford, Dr. Josef Ben-Jochannan, Dr. Walter Lomax, Grand Master Mele Mel, Kool Moe Dee, the Neville Brothers

Pan African Service Award

Willie "Mukasa" Ricks


The Who’s Who of Black America Will Be In New Orleans for SOBWC Partial List of Confirmed Participants

Bev Smith, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Marc Morial, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, George Fraser, Dr. Elsie Scott, Atty. Faya Rose Sanders, Susan Taylor, Dr. Iva Carruthers, Emira Woods, Dr. E. Faye Williams, Makani Themba-Nixon, Dr. Maulana Karenga, Haki Madhubuti, Sonia Sanchez, Jim Clingman, Danny Glover, NYOIL, Greg Akili, Congressman John Conyers, Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, Councilman Charles Barron, Grand Master Mele Mel, Kool Moe Dee, Davey D, Bakari Kitwana, Monifa Akinwole Bandele, Malika Sanders, Dr. Kimberly C. Ellis, Kimberly Richards, Rick Adams, Mtangulizi Sanyika, Jaribu Hill, Askia Muhammad Toure, Nkechi Taifa, Adjoa Aiyetoro, James Early, Minister Akbar Muhammad, Marc Batson, Bob Bullard, Dr. Beverly Wright, Dedrick Muhammad, Kenny Barnes, Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vincent Sylvain, Lorraine Jacques-White and Danny Glover.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact Carolyn McClair, SOBWC Administrator:

Toll Free Information Line 888.774.2921 or (917) 686-0854

▪ E-mail: sobwc@ibw21.org

▪ Web Site: www.stateoftheblackworld.org

▪ Blog: http:\\stateoftheblackworld.blogspot.com

▪ Check us out on Facebook!