“African Perspectives: An African Vision for Positive Developments in Africa”

(Berlin; June 26th - 28th, 2013)

This unprecedented gathering will seek to highlight Africa´s self-attained achievements with regards to its standing in the international community as well as it´s increasing emancipation from the often assumed dependency on the Western world. The focus will be on the role and successes of the African Union as an intergovernmental regional organization seeking to combat political, social and economic inequalities. Past achievements will be considered while simultaneously accenting the future challenges the AU faces.

Multidimensional in focus, the conference will revolve around three main themes. Beginning with ´the rise of corporate Africa´, the positive impact of enterprise on development throughout the continent will be accented. The following theme, ´African solutions for African challenges (human development)´ will be dedicated to the overlapping issues of education, the eradication of poverty and the empowerment of women. The final topic ´community development through arts, culture and sports´ will exemplify the power exerted by cultural diplomacy on the furthering of community development.

It will be demonstrated that the application of cultural diplomacy is pervasive within the African Union´s activities, as it has charged itself with the task of uniting highly differentiated cultures within Africa with the aim of achieving ´greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the peoples of Africa´. Cultural Diplomacy will be shown to support and solidify such efforts.

Conference Location

Based in Berlin, the conference will be hosted at a number of important political, historic, and cultural locations across the city.

Conference Speakers

Speakers during the Conference will include artists, musicians, academics, authors, museum curators, human rights activists, dignitaries, politicians, and heads of state, as well as leading figures and experts in the arts, international affairs, the diplomatic community, and civil society from across the world. These speakers will include a large number of individuals from the ICD Advisory Board.

Conference Participants

The conference is open to applications from governmental and diplomatic officials, civil society practitioners, young professionals, students and scholars, private sector representatives, journalists, and other interested stakeholders from across the world.

To apply please visit:

http://www.culturaldiplomacy.de/index.php?en_iscd-2013

For more information please visit:

http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/experienceafrica/index.php?en_aucdc2013