Washington D.C. – October 18, 2012 – Africa Gathering, a global organization founded to promote African innovations and solutions, is holding its third annual conference, November 2-3, in partnership with The African Society at Georgetown University.

The conference, themed “Africa Unlimited,” strategically launches during the opening weekend of Digital Capital Week, Washington D.C.’s annual 10-day technology festival.

Africa Gathering 2011 brought together diverse individuals from a varied background including: Activist Kambale Musavuli an impassioned Congolese activist who travels as an advocate for Friends of the Congo educating people on the ongoing atrocities in the Congo; Ethiopian filmmaker Sosena Solomon whose first feature documentary explores five delicate human stories faced with eviction at the helm of modern development in one of Africa’s largest open air market Merkato in Addis Ababa; Emerging women leaders Semhar Araia, founder of the Diaspora African Women’s network (DAWN) an organization connecting and fostering collaboration amongst African women in the Diaspora with a shared passion for African affairs; Barbara Birungi, Manager of Hive Collab a community owned innovation hub and co-working space for young tech entrepreneurs in Uganda and founder of WITU, a non-profit for women in technology in Uganda,which seeks to address the gender technological gap through recruitment, encouragement,training, empowerment and career advancement of women in the field of ICT and famously impassioned Ghanaian economist George Ayittey, whose steadfast sermon is Africa is for the ‘Cheetah generation’ a coined term for Africa’s youth that represent 70% of the population that is under 30.

With Africans making up 17% of Washington D.C.’s foreign-born population, and Africa’s pace-setting emergence as a global center of technological innovation and enterprise, it is important for Africans to be a part of the conversation. This year’s Africa Gathering conference aims to displace the ubiquitous portrayal of Africa as a stagnant continent mired in conflict – with the balanced reality of an upwardly growing continent filled with an impassioned populace and a creative diaspora full of zest for progress – both with a penchant for technological solutions and an aptitude for entrepreneurship.

Featured “Africa Unlimited” speakers include successful African technology and media start-up innovators, social entrepreneurs and thought leaders who will share challenges, insights and inspirations related to their work in Africa and the wider Diaspora. Invited speakers include Ghanaian software engineer Kwame Andah, co-founder of Coders4Africa, award-winning entrepreneur Saran Kaba Jones, the Liberian-born founder of FACE Africa, a non-profit that builds water wells in Liberia and Solome Lemma, Ethiopian philanthropist, White House ‘Champion of Change’ honoree and long-time activist.

“Africa Unlimited” kicks off Friday, November 2, with an evening of interactive brainstorming that will cover five different themes, spanning from the technology boom on the continent to the role of the diaspora in relation to the continent’s progress. Saturday’s program will feature a speaker series spanning multiple disciplines, with discussions centered on current topics, including philanthropy and citizen engagement.

The collaborative effort between Africa Gathering and The African Society at Georgetown stems from a shared mission of spotlighting a balanced Africa, cultivating relationships and highlighting grassroots, emerging technologies and solutions that are relevant to Africa. Both organizations also aim to encourage active involvement from Africa-focused businesses, investors, and strategists, whilst concurrently offering a new, primarily youth-driven perspective.

Africa Gathering, a global platform active on three continents which believes in active discourse and public engagement, facilitates collaboration among brilliant African minds – from activators to innovators, artists to technologists – with a mission to highlight and champion emerging change-makers, thought leaders and doers that are positively shaping the continent.

Event Details

Venue: ICC Auditorium at Georgetown University, 37th and O St., N.W., Washington D.C. 20057

Date & Time: Friday, November 2nd: 6pm-9pm & Saturday, November 3rd 11am-5pm (All times are subject to change.)

To register click here

Sponsoring Organizations

Africa Gathering

Africa Gathering brings together a diverse community of individuals who care about Africa to share their ideas for progressive change in sustainable development, new technology and media,social entrepreneurship, health, education and good governance.

Website: http://www.africagathering.org

The African Society at Georgetown

The African Society of Georgetown is a student-led organization established for the purpose of highlighting Africa, its people, its culture, and its way of life. It has a shared vision of spotlighting a balanced Africa, developing global relationships, highlighting grassroots initiatives, emerging technologies, and solutions that are relevant to Africa – to encourage active involvement from Africa-focused businesses, investors, and strategists – whilst concurrently offering a new perspective. African Society members are dedicated to diversifying thought on campus and heightening cultural sensitivity.

Website: http://www.asgeorgetown.com/

Contact: Kathleen Bomani, Africa Gathering Event Manager,  kathleen(at)africagathering.org