<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"><div>Dear all,<br><br>Let me join Anne-Rachel in wishing you all a great Africa Liberation Day.<br><br>But, in a cruel twist of irony, Pan Africanists, and indeed all Africanists, as well as Africans in Africa and the Diaspora are mourning the loss of Dr. Tajudeen Abdul Raheem (<a href="http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/56535">http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/56535</a> and <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/603096/-/ujp3t8/-/index.html">http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/603096/-/ujp3t8/-/index.html</a>) in a traffic accident early today in Nairobi, Kenya. I had the pleasure of meeting him in Madison, Wisconsin, a number of years back, and have since been impressed by his energy and dedication to the Pan African cause. May his soul rest in perfect
peace, and Allah grant him heaven.<br><br>Katim<br></div><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Anne-Rachel Inné <annerachel@gmail.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> africann@afrinic.net<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Monday, May 25, 2009 3:43:25 PM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> [AfrICANN-discuss] Happy Africa Day<br></font><br><div id="action-header" class="action-header-frontpage topic-forum-2 topic-has-new-0 topic-statusid-1 topic-has-note-0 topic-reportcount-0 hn0-rc0-sid1-hnt0-ia0"><h2>Africans celebrate Africa Day</h2></div><a rel="nofollow" name="m20365" id="m20365"></a><div class="message-data">
<address class="posted-at"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.africanews.com/site/Africans_celebrate_Africa_Day/list_messages/25034">http://www.africanews.com/site/Africans_celebrate_Africa_Day/list_messages/25034</a><br>Posted on <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.africanews.com/site/list_message/20365#m20365" title="Link to this message">Monday 25 May 2009 - 10:40</a></address><hr>
</div><div class="author-data"><div class="author-nickname user-is-online-0"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.africanews.com/site/user_profile/255" title="View the profile of AfricaNews editor">AfricaNews editor</a></div></div><hr><div class="message-topic-authors">
AfricaNews editors in Accra, Ghana</div><div class="topic-intro"><strong>African
Union joins the rest of the African community within the continent and
abroad, to celebrate the Africa Day. The Day is observed with respect
to the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), by its
founding fathers on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the current
headquarters of the AU.</strong></div><div class="topic-document"><img class="topic-image" alt="African Union" height="263" width="350"></div>
Later in 2002, Durban, South Africa, the OAU became the African Union (AU). <br><br>This
year, the Africa Day is being celebrated under the theme: “Towards A
United, Peaceful and Prosperous Africa”, in which the element of a
peaceful Africa is expected to be reflected, in line with the first
strategic pillar of the African Union Commission dubbed “Peace and
Security”, which is one of the four pillars of the AUC Strategic Plan,
2009-2012.<br><br>As the Chairperson of the African Union Commission
(AUC), Mr. Jean Ping, once recalled, the continent is heading towards a
more advanced democracy which is sometimes difficult to achieve; hence,
there exist many examples of success stories like in the case of Ghana
where the elections were conducted peacefully. <br><br>This, the
Chairperson said, is proof that Africa is not only about war and
conflicts. The architecture of peace therefore clearly depicts that
peace can be consolidated when there is unity and prosperity. <br><br>A
press statement by the AU said activities marking the Africa Day
celebration on May 25, will take place at the headquarters of the
African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A bazaar of African objects and
cultural identity will be organized today. To crown the occasion, a
cocktail made up of a variety of the different African meals will be
served to the public. <br><br>In a goodwill message to All Africans,
the Chairperson of the African Union Commission called on the continent
to ensure that the historic significance and importance of the creation
of the Organization of African Unity on 25 May 1963 remain engraved in
the memory of one and all.
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