The Seventh 'Africa Day' Lecture will be broadcast live from 1545 p.m. IST (UTC+5.30) on 24 May 2013 on the website of ICWA at www.icwa.in

On the eve of the Africa Day, on 24 May, 2013, the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), New Delhi-- a think tank of national importance in the realm of Indian foreign policy and international relations established in 1943 -- will organise the Seventh 'Africa Day' Lecture at Chandigarh in collaboration with the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, Chandigarh. The  Governor of Punjab State, Hon. Shri Shivraj V. Patil, will deliver the  Lecture  there at 1600 hours to  commemorate the founding in 1963  of the Organisation  of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by leaders of 30  independent African states. In 1991, the OAU established the African Economic Community, and in 2002 the OAU established its own successor, the African Union. However, the name and date of Africa Day has been retained as a celebration of African unity.

 

ICWA has been organising the Africa Day Lecture series since 2002. The 'Africa Day Lecture' constitutes a vital component of ICWA's commitment to promote India's links with African countries through academic interface and exchange of views with other similar organizations. The Africa Day Lecture is delivered by an Indian dignitary around 25 May each year as an overview of India's engagement with Africa. Speakers at the previous occasions have included Shri I.K. Gujral, EAM, Shri S.M. Krishna, EAM, Smt. Preneet Kaur, MOS (EA), Dr. L.M. Singhvi, M.P. and Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, M.P.

 

ICWA has an extensive research and outreach programme on Africa, which is underpinned by its own research scholars and their original publications, MOUs of Cooperation with counterpart think-tanks in many African Countries, an extensive Sapru House Library collection of books and documents on African themes, a robust programme of academic conferences conducted periodically in African countries and around India as well as lecture series such as the one in memory of Alfred Nzo of South Africa, dialogues and round table discussions on issues of mutual interest. ICWA is also open to projects with visiting research scholars from Africa. ICWA has collaborated with CRRID, Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab State, to organise the Africa Day Lecture outside New Delhi for the first time and further raise  awareness of the promise and importance of Africa in the future prosperity of mankind as well as the depth and range of India's relationship with that great continent.

 

Persons interested in attending the Lecture may please contact CRRID, Chandigarh by email to: (attn: Amb. P.S.Sahai)