>> From the Library of Congress in Washington DC. [ Silence ] >> Mary-Jane Deeb: Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the African and Middle Eastern Division. I'm delighted to see you all here and I know that we're expecting more people. This is why we've been sort of waiting a little bit, because there are members of the Zambian [inaudible], Liberian, Nigerian embassies who RSVP'd for this event and so they may be coming in during the program. I just wanted to let you know why we're taking our time today. But anyway, welcome and I'm Mary-Jane Deeb, Chief of the African and Middle Eastern Division here. And today we will be talking about a new book entitled "The 'Growing' of Africa's Emergent Leadership" by the Honorable Olubanke King-Akerele, an absolutely incredible woman whom I met years ago and could not forget. And she is -- she's been a Liberian politician, a diplomat. She served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from 2007 to 2010. And among her many other accomplishments, she's also a writer. And this is why we have invited her to be with us today. Because, as you know, we in the African Middle East Division invite such notable speakers so that they can share with us their scholarship and their knowledge about the countries that we are responsible for. And, as most of you already know, our division is made up of three sections: the African section that covers North and Sub-Saharan Africa -- well, the Sub-Saharan Africa. But we cover, in the division, but North and Sub-Saharan, we cover Central Asia, we cover the Middle East, we cover the Caucasus's, and we have a third section -- Africa, Middle East, and the third section -- the Hebraic section that actually collects materials from all over the world. And we, in terms of our responsibilities, not are we only responsible to our patrons to help them with their research, to acquire books for them to do research -- books, journals, newspapers. This is for this division, but the library as a whole also collects loan materials -- photographs, films, about each one of those countries. We're responsible to patrons. We're responsible to Congress. We're responsible to visitors who come from overseas to help them also to direct them in terms of their work and their research. But we also reach out to people, as today's program is showing. We reach out through programs. We reach out through conferences. We reach out through exhibits. We've had major exhibits in the past few years on different countries of our region. And we are looking for support to have an Africa book exhibit. So, I hope if you have ideas, you know, come to, come to any of us, and let us know. And we love our collection. We take care of them. We preserve them. And we ensure that they get to be known so that people who cannot find those materials anywhere else can find them here. So we only -- not only have materials that every other institution has, but we have materials and collections that are unique to us. So our -- I don't want to take more time. And our speaker today will be introduced by our own Dr. Angel Batiste, area specialist for West Africa, and a sought-after scholar and librarian in the African section of this division. And she will be introducing our speaker. Angel? [ Silence ] >> Angel Batiste: Good afternoon. On behalf of my colleagues in the Library of Congress African section, I welcome you to the library. And I invite you back to explore the vast Africana collections that are here at the library. In today's program, we're actually commemorating Women's History Month. We're reflecting on the accomplishments of women of African descent and women worldwide. And the crucial roles that women have played in the history of their countries and communities. This year, 2015, marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995. Historic in scope, this international agreement set the agenda for advancing the empowerment of women at national, and at global levels. Marking this anniversary, the African Union has designated this year -- 2015 -- as the year of women's empowerment and development towards Africa's agenda, 2063. It is worth noting that Africa now has three female heads of state and a growing proportion of African women are breaking into the political glass ceilings and all policy-making areas at national, regional, and international levels. It is a special honor for me today to introduce one of the true pioneers of women's right and gender equality. The Honorable Olubanke King-Akerele. In her capacity as former Deputy Director of the United Nations Development Program for Women -- which is today's U.N. Women -- Madame Akerele played instrumental roles in laying the foundations for gender equality, women's empowerment, and leadership development in her native Liberia, in Africa, as well as throughout the world. As co-chair of the historic International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, and International Security, held in Liberia, she played a central role in coordinating the Liberian National Action Plan for the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, to ensure women's participation in security and peace decision-making processes. Madame Akerele served as former Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as former Minister of Commerce and Industry in the cabinet of Liberia and Africa's first elected woman president, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Prior to her public service, she was engaged at senior levels in the United Nations system. Notably, the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Secretariat, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and UNESCO -- the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Currently, she serves as the chair of the steering committee of the Angie Brooks International Centre for Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace, and Security in Liberia. Madame Akerele continues a family tradition and a legacy of public service. She is the grand-daughter of Charles D.B. King, Liberia's 17th President, who started the renowned Booker T. Washington Institute -- a Liberian college modeled on the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Today, Madame Akerele will discuss her third and her most recent book, entitled "The Growing of Africa's Emergent Leadership," which profiles the life stories of youth from all regions of the African continent and in the diaspora that are actively making contributions to the development challenges and transformations of African's future. I now introduce Doc -- Madame Akerele. [applause] >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Good afternoon to all of you. And it's still early in the New Year, so let me take the opportunity to extend best wishes for 2015 -- the rest of all of you, your families, friends, and loved ones. In this regard, I wish to thank, especially, the Africa and Middle East Division of the Library of Congress. To the chief of the division, Dr. Mary-Jane Deeb, and Dr. Angel Batiste -- area specialist for the Sub-Saharan Africa -- whose idea this was, and who followed through after meeting me. I thank you all for this opportunity. I also want to thank all of you who are here. Some of you, displaced from Delaware, Philadelphia and all -- and throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Thank you -- as we say in Liberia -- thank you plenty. Thank you plenty for being here. Any of the officials of the Liberian Embassy or Zambia, or any representation at the governmental levels throughout the continent, I also thank your presence here. All others -- friends, family members, other professional colleagues, others interested in the issue of women and development, the African continent and worldwide, thank you for being here, also. As it has turned out, this event has been held within the context of Women's History Month and the month of International Women's Day. Had to be postponed, but it has provided fortuitous, since the subject matter of women in development, today's gender and development, is an area in which I was engaged for the first seven years of my career at the United Nations in International Development. Because of this charge -- because of this change, I intend to spend a little while on the subject of women in development at the international development -- at the international level and its history before proceeding to the main subject of my book. And then we will do the growing of Africa's emerging leadership for 15 minutes. We will then invite any supplementary in -- commentary. Because there are some people who are here who were part of the book. And it will be nice for you to hear from them themselves. We will then take questions and answers. It's important to hear about this. But before continuing, I will just add a little bit to what has been said. All the professional thing's there, but I want to say that of all my professional trajectory you've heard about that. But I'm standing here as a continuity of those who have gone before. As Sir Isaac Newton said, "We stand on the shoulders of giants." We are not here by and of ourselves. There were others before us. And I believe it is important for all of us to recognize those others before us. So I represent a continuity. That continuity comes from my mother, my grand-aunt, my grandparents -- others who mentored me in the course of my professional development from Africa and from Western Europe and all. I was mentored by others and hence, I'm able to stand here before you. I think this is a very, very important part of what we are and what we constitute. Secondly, I want to say that many think that Beijing was the start of it. It wasn't. It started in 1975 at the Mexico Conference. That Mexico Conference was what kick started all of this issue of women and development. We don't hear about it today. But there were people who made it possible. That Mexico Conference saw people like Betty Friedan. It saw Irene Tinker trickle up. It saw Peggy Antrobus, Jamaica. It saw -- it saw Jacqueline Ki-Zerbo of Burkina Faso. Peg Snyder of the Women -- U.N. Development Fund for Women. There were some major women who contributed. There were some major women who contributed to all of this gender and development. I want to give recognition to them, because we don't hear about them today. But we wouldn't be here without them. And I think it is important you have people like Judge Anizhyage [spelled phonetically] of Ghana. Eso Ocloo of Ghana. Lady Alakija of Nigeria. Lady Ramsamkute [spelled phonetically] and Juro N'jai [spelled phonetically], Marie-Angelique Savane. These were some of the major people. Ms. Ragaliase [spelled phonetically], who started the entire women and development planning at ESAMI. Then you have media icons like Yani Sangari [spelled phonetically]. You also have of Liberia. You also had Achulu Akeopala [spelled phonetically]. You also had Elizabeth Oprenge [spelled phonetically]. Pamela Mboya. Muriel Kello [spelled phonetically]. Women's banking and then there was the Women's World Banking -- Michaela Walsh. Anybody remember that name? She's an American. She started the whole concept of Women's World Banking. Esther Ocloo of Ghana. It's important to know these names. At the same time, I want to take a step back in terms of Africa, America itself. You have just had Women's History Month. I mean the African -- Black History Month. I'm sure you recognized Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and all those others who played a key role. But I want to highlight a few, Shirley Chisholm, CJ Walker. Do you all know that name? CJ Walker? CJ Walker was designated at the beginning of the 20th century as the richest woman in the world. She came from poverty. She was on the plantations. And she struck off a most extraordinary empire. But she also said that she wanted to use her wealth not only for herself, but to lift up her people. She never forgot from whence she came. Then Mary Bethune -- McLeod Bethune, director of National Council of Negro Women. Dorothy Height, National Council of Negro Women. These people are very important, you know? Also because they made the connection with the continent. It was extremely important. They were in the forefront of movements. Remember Dorothy Height? In fact, she was a mentor of one of our most powerful Liberian women today, Councilor Chesen Rura [spelled phonetically]. She says that Dorothy Height mentored her. The significance of Dorothy Height in the heyday of our civil crisis, when Liberian refugees were on the boats and none of the ports in West Africa would receive our refugees in the '90s. Dorothy Height, who was a powerful African-American woman, contacted your State Department, contacted your government. For them in turn to put pressure on the West African countries, to not let our people just be on the boat and nowhere to go. Connections, connections are very important. I want us to remember that. Hence the issue of the sixth region. The sixth region of Africa. The sixth region so designated by the African Union. The sixth region of people of African descent all over the world. The A.U. -- African Union -- has given them a place at the table. What I want to also continue to say, then. My development took place in on the shoulders of these people. It took place at the time, my work at the U.N., when this extraordinary movement in terms of women in leadership, women in development, was taking shape. That was part of what made me. The other part of what made me -- as a daughter of a diplomat, we serve our countries. My formative years were spent in Nigeria at a time when we saw the birth of the African Union, Nigeria, and Liberia worked hand-in-hand. At a time, also, when we saw the Nigerian civil war. Little could I have known that 30 years later, that would be my experience in my own country. But Nigeria -- very important because the Nigerian [unintelligible] civil war reminds us of the clarion call of General Gowon. What was the message of General Gowon? I hope my young nephew is here who is about three-years-old, four-years-old at the time. And when my father said to keep Nigeria one, say it, it's a task that must be done. To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done. The civil strife that I was later encountering in my own country and we're encountering every day in Africa today, right? Civil strife is very important. So these were part of my formation. We've talked about the women's movement. I've highlighted that. At the highest level in the U.N. system you had people like Mary Chinery-Hesse, who at the time was the most senior woman in the U.N. system, from Ghana -- deputy director general of ILO. You had the ambassador Eugenia Stevenson, of Liberia, who was chair of CSW -- Commission on Status of Women. From Mali and so on, we had giants. I want you to remember these giants. And today, as we have just heard, we have the extraordinary situation of African women present. There is no way in our work -- I was deputy director of UNIFEM -- U.N. Development Fund for Women. U.N. Women Today. We -- our vision did not reach that far. We didn't think about a woman president of Africa. We thought about what you call mainstreaming -- getting women into the issues of development. Jacquelyn Ki-Zerbo did the first mainstream activity work in Chad. She went on that assignment. Then you had Rose D'Accord [spelled phonetically] from Sierra Leone, who helped us on appropriate technology. And so on. We did not think this would happen. But look how it has happened in our lifetime. I entered this women's area in the '80s. There's no way we could have imagined. But there are challenges. The former president of Malawi, Banda, she said -- she said, "It is important for us to note that how do we get women to support women? At the political level. It is real; it is very real." We just had senatorial elections in Liberia. Only one woman senator. So there are still issues to be done. The work is not finished. Just like our President Obama said, "X number of years of the nationhood -- there is still work to be done. So there's a lot of work still to be done. We are proud to have been part and are part of the movement forward on our country. As I draw to a close on this particular dimension, I want to highlight two factors: One is the Women's Situation Room, which is part of the Angie Brooks International Centre. Angie Brooks was the first African woman president of the U.N. General Assembly. In the wake of the conference that we heard about, the 2-9 -- 2009, we set up something called the Angie Brooks International Centre for women's leadership, women empowerment, leadership, international peace, and security. And that was set up about five years ago as a result of that conference. One of the major components of that -- and it's attached to your documents. You have something, fifth year anniversary of the Angie Brooks Centre. It's named after Angie Brooks, but it's a tribute to women in leadership worldwide. It is not only because she was a Liberian, was an African woman. The first African woman. And then it's a tribute to women in leadership worldwide. It's part of your document. One of the important components of that project is called the Women's Situation Room. The Women's Situation Room is basically an important dimension of election observation by women. By eminent women throughout the continent, and youth in civil society. The objective of that is to be a presence at elections different places in Africa, and to be able to try to impact the potential for violence. It's a very exciting concept. We've done -- it came out of Liberia. We did it in Senegal, in Kenya, and Sierra Leona. Today, our people are in Nigeria. It's a very difficult period. And there are limitations in Nigeria, but it's important for you to know some of the people who are part of the Women's Situation Room in Nigeria today. You've got Professor Azikiwe, widow of Nigeria's first president and former first lady of Nigeria. Professor. She's part of the eminent women who are part of the Women's Situation Room. Ambassador Eleanor Cooper, Chief of Protocol. President of Liberia. Ms. Yamade Ransom Coutie [spelled phonetically], eminent businesswoman, Nigeria Top Preparative Development. Dr. Kadis Hesse [spelled phonetically], Vice Presidential candidate of Sierra Leone. Honorable Turi Akerele, first female solicitor general of Nigeria. Justice Margaret Mary Ebetta [spelled phonetically], sitting judge of the Traditional Court of Nigeria. Dr. Njuro Njai [spelled phonetically]. These are the eminent women who are part and parcel of the Women's Situation Room that's going on right now. You can read about it. But as I end, I would be remiss if I did not pay tribute to the extraordinary role that Liberian women on the home-front and in the diaspora have recently played in the Ebola crisis. Diaspora Liberians have played together, and with those that whom and on the ground, with groups like Project Ebola Liberia, Game Changers in Liberia, Youth Foundation on the Purple Couch, and many others, Liberian women and civil society groups who have contributed -- grassroots initiatives from Paris and Holland to the critical role of where we are on the Ebola crisis today. I am saying this to say that Liberian women, Liberian civil society on the ground, in concert with the international community, are responsible and contributed to where we are today on Ebola. We want to thank all of you for that contribution, and I will just ask you to please give them all a hand, all over West Africa, who played this role. [applause] All over West Africa and the international community, including yourselves. Indeed, I'm going to ask you all to rise for three minutes of silence, foremost. Three minutes. For all those whose candles were lit out in West Africa in the course of Ebola, and in particular, I want to mention Dr. Adadevoh -- Adadevoh, from Nigeria, of the Lagos -- of the Lagos Clinic. First consultant clinical, basically -- she and her colleagues at the clinic prevented and saved Nigeria from the Ebola curse. Africa's largest numbers of people -- can you imagine what would have happened? But they paid the ultimate price. They paid with their lives. I want us to honor her. I want us to honor the other doctors in the sub-region. Secondly, the recent tragic loss of German Wings with its crew, passengers, and amongst them, the schoolchildren. And thirdly, the many tragedies worldwide. In France, Canada, Africa, Middle East. The human loss of lives. Hence my request to rise three minutes' silence for these group of people. [Moment of Silence observed] Thank you. That ends the first part where I focus on the issue of women. I will now focus on the growing leadership. Why growing leadership? You all have the little brochure on the growing leadership. Please look at that because I will basically walk you through it. Growing leadership. This book was launched in February last year, in Zambia by Dr. Kenny Kaunda, who did us the honor of doing the foreword. Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, in fact, that very day, he walked out of the hospital so his daughter had to take his place. But why in Zambia? It was launched in Zambia because Dr. Kenneth Kaunda represents the last of the greats who saw the liberation of Africa. Also because we initiated there, an extraordinary program in leadership development that came out of experience in militias. The book is dedicated to those who brought about Africa's independence, Africa's leadership of the independence era, who despite incredible odds had a vision for the continent and laid the foundations for its realization, thereby inspiring future generations of African leadership, as well as Africa's emergent leadership. Second group to whom the book was dedicated -- the visionaries of the African diaspora of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as W.E.B. DuBois, Frederick Douglass, Wilmot Edward Blyden, C.L.R. James, Frantz Fanon, Walter Rodney, Aime Cesaire, Marcus Garvey, Henry Sylvester Williams, the Trinidadian who organized the first pan-African conference in 1900 in London. And George Patton, also Trinidadian, who devoted his life to the course of bringing Africa and African descended people together with the common purpose of ending colonialism -- which they did. Which they did. Lastly, the book is dedicated to my parents, in particular, and Sitio King [spelled phonetically] and Edmonian [spelled phonetically] and my sister, Yanis Ankerel [spelled phonetically], who is responsible for my growth and maturity as a pan-Africanist, above all. Why leadership? Why is leadership important? We're talking about servant leadership. We're not talking only about political leadership. Today you talk leadership in Africa, everybody thinks politics, politics, politics. The political leadership needs to have imbibed in people across all levels of society concepts of leadership development. We need it at all levels, because if you just concentrate on the top, all the people on the ground level who you are neglecting, they are going to come and topple the top. Not so? They're going to do it. They're doing it. You've got to educate and it's more than just education we're talking about how to manage differences, how to manage conflicts. Values. Integrity. You've got to teach it so leadership development is what I'm telling you, I've been there. I've held two top positions. So I know what I'm talking about. You've got to develop others because you are only as good as your lieutenants. Are you with me? You are only as good as your lieutenants. I don't care how good you are. Because you will delegate to your lieutenants to do X, Y, Z. And I'm telling you, if they don't do it and they don't give you the right advice, it's on your head, right? So you've got to instill and impart what you want. The future is created today. You invent the future. I think it was one of your presidents, Abraham Lincoln's son, somebody, who says something like that. So you have to nurture. You have to groom. This is what we're talking about. Julius Nyerere talked about leadership as service. Lee Kuan Yew who just died. I spent about three weeks in Singapore. I visited Southeast Asia for about three month sabbatical to see their experience back in 1989. This is Lee Kuan Yew, made this statement in 1993, "From Africa must come a new generation of leaders committed to reform and tapping the same spirit that brought freedom 30 years ago. Angered by the failure of corrupt and autocratic leaders, frustrated by economic policies that did not deliver; impatient to recover their loss civil rights and worn out by wars, Africa's people are driving for a fresh start." Hence my emphasis on leadership -- emergent leadership. Definition of emergent leadership -- we have in mind graduates through the early 40s. More ever, the word "emergent" is used to describe leadership that may still be evolving. Hence the word "leadership" -- we're not using "leaders." At the same time the high school graduates, the high school people, they are the next rung. We have to prepare them also. And, in fact, the book talks about some of them. So when we talk about growing, you're talking about development and promoting this emerging leadership. We're talking about competence. Competent visionary, ethical leadership with values. Hence we're talking about leadership across all sectors of society. From the Daily Bread who some of us read every morning -- serving others is a mark of a true leader. The mark of true-gotten leadership is not power and privilege, but humble service. We've all been gifted in one way or the other. Whatever our gift, we have to use that gift to bring up others, to empower others. The experience from Southeast Asia was the basis for this introduction of the leadership concept in Africa. I visited Southeast Asia in 1998 on a four-month sabbatical. Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines -- Philippines and one other. Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia. I found there that there in Southeast Asia, they have leadership development skills and whatnot as an integral part of the educational process. You have to learn how to manage yourself. You have to learn goal-setting, managing conflicts. This is an integral part of the lead -- of the schools, of the universities, and of their ministers. They go through this process of leadership development. So what we've done here is to document the experience of leadership development. We started this in militias, when I was the [unintelligible] head of the U.N., we introduced the concept of the model United Nations to introduce this training. That and then attachments, internship associated with critical development and community experiences has been captured in the book. In the book we hear about the experiences, for example, of young people from all over the continent and from the diaspora. We hear about the experience of a young man from Sierra Leone who -- he caused it to find the arts through leadership development. During the Sierra Leonean Civil War, Abraham Grassise [spelled phonetically], at the height of the war, decided he had to leave. He had to preserve himself. He took upon himself to embark on a journey, which he branded a jihad to seek a new beginning. He went through Guinea forestiere. Those of you who know West Africa know this was very dangerous territory. He found himself in Sierra Leone at the height -- sorry, in Senegal. He had the good fortune, bad fortune, of course, to stumble across me as head of a U.N. Project [laughs] at UNESCO called the Foundations of Africa Leadership Development. Long and short of it, this young man -- who didn't know where he was going, who had to take a jihad to get out of the chaos of Sierra Leone -- eventually when the project finished I was able to send him to Sierra Leone to work with the UNDP and then when I found myself in Liberia as Minister of Commerce and Industry, I brought him there to work with me as a U.N. volunteer. Today, he's finishing an assignment as a U.N. volunteer in Cote d'Ivoire, but he talks in the book about his trajectory. He was part of the young team. Then we have Paulo -- Paulo Nunes from Brazil. I think you will hear about -- more about him. And you have someone from Colombia who tells their stories. And then Tameka -- Tameka Bell-Robinson, are you here? One of the Africa's region here. So, the book tells you the stories and the trajectories. The idea is basically to empower other young people, for them to know there are difficulties along the way, but here is how you tackle them. We train them in leadership skills. There are some courses that are critical to it. It is also documented in the snapshot. Positive thinking. Here are some of the skills. How does the mind work? How can you think in such a way that will enable you to achieve whatever you want in life? Self confidence. What are the cause of self-confidence? Effective techniques. Goal-setting. Why are vision and goals important in one's personal life? How does goal-setting provide purpose and direction? Managing conflicts effectively. How can you deal with conflicts? Impact of belief and self-achievement. Values. I was able to find a Nigerian lawyer in Malaysia who was teaching this to the Malaysians. I said, "I need you on the continent. We need you on the continent to help us." I was able to design a program at the U.N. and I got him on the continent. And he infused these issues of leadership values and skills training all over Southern Africa from Senegal all over. And then began to infuse it in Liberia -- in post-conflict Liberia. When I talk about leadership development, leadership skills, this is what I'm talking about. You cannot manage others if you don't know how to manage yourself. Am I correct? You've got to manage yourself. Leadership skills, management. This is important. This is important you get to the political level, you know what that means. Right? So basically, I will stop now and say -- what I want to say is of my final closure before I invite others to come board and comment. Is that we have to make these connections. Please, please, the older generation did -- we lost it. We have -- I was very pleased to have been here when your mayor for life died. I was so amazed when I heard people talk about the mayor of life -- mayor for life. I watched it on the program. Everywhere I turn, he gave me my first job. That is the empowerment that C.J. Walker talked about. If you've been given something, you have to help others. You have to pass it on. It is not only for yourselves or ourselves. I was privileged to have been here to see about your mayor for life. I was privileged. It was an eye-opener. But this is what I mean when I say we stand on the shoulders of others. I will stop now and anyone who's present here who was part of the story of this book -- and I think we have somebody here from the sixth region who helped me to bring that on -- if she could make the first comment? Or if there's any other embassies or what not who would like to comment on her -- after she -- because she supplements my work. And then we open for questions and answers. Okay? Tonija? Could you supplement my presentation? And then we open for questions and answers. Please come. Yes. Yes, please come. Part of Africa's sixth region. [silence] >> Tonija Hope Navas: Good afternoon. Thank you, Minister King-Akerele for inviting me to participate in this book and to present perspectives from the diaspora. My name is Tonija Hope Navas. My mother is Liberian, but I was born and raised here in Washington, D.C., and from a young age had been very interested in Latin America. I speak Spanish and Portuguese and so studied Latin America basically my entire life. I got into working in -- with a non-profit, actually Phillip Stokes, which was involved in Liberia with the creation of BWI. And through Phillip Stokes, we began to make connections between the diaspora, particularly in Colombia, and the United States, and Africa. So most of my work at Phillip Stokes focused on Colombia and, particularly, afro-Colombians. So a lot of people don't know in this country, is that more people were brought from Africa in the trans-Atlantic slave trade to Latin America than to the United States of America. Brazil has the largest population of people of African descent outside of Nigeria, and it's currently, officially -- according to the census -- 53 percent of the population is of African descent. And not a lot of people know that. In Colombia, the official census numbers say that 10 percent of the population is of African descent. However, that is inaccurate. It's more like 30 percent, and we're hoping that in the next census, it will be reflected as such. However, there are some issues of self-identification that we're working on. But when I was asked to provide some examples from the diaspora, I looked back and the people that I have interacted with throughout my work and identified, as she mentioned, Paulo Rogerio from Brazil. He was -- or he is the founder of the Institute of Ethnic Media, which is based in Salvador Bahia in Brazil. He participated on the Humphrey Fellowship here in the United States and is working to increase the presence of people of African descent in Brazil in media. Which, if you go to Brazil and you watch television, you might think you were in a Scandinavian country because, for a country whose majority population is of African descent, they are not reflected in the media really in any way, shape, or form. So he has created online news outlets and so forth that tell the story of people of African descent in Brazil and throughout the diaspora. So he's contributed to this book. Another young lady, Adriana Barbosa, also from Brazil, she is an entrepreneur of African descent based in Sao Paulo and she's created something called the Feira Preta, which is the Black Fair. It's a gathering of afro-descendant entrepreneurs who are producing culturally-relevant products for sale in Brazil. And it's the largest fair of its kind in the hemisphere. And then, lastly, Edwin Salcedo who -- he's from Colombia. At the time, he was working for USAID on the -- on increasing the participation of afro-Colombians in education, health, a variety of areas. And he continues his work there to increase the participation of African -- afro-Colombians in the political sector in Colombia. So those are the three representations that I managed to gather to represent the sixth region, the diaspora. And my story in there, as well, which, right now, has changed from what it says in the book. I'm currently the executive director of the Baoba Fund for Racial Equity-North America, which is a Brazilian foundation working on race equity issues, primarily in Brazil. But I'm looking to broaden that to include the diaspora at large throughout the region. So I will stop there. Thank you very much. [applause] >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Thank you. The cover of the book shows the pictures from all over Africa and the diaspora, including African-American, Brazil, and all of that. Very exciting. The names are there. That's what the cover of the book is about. And just for you to know, we are working on the transformation of the book into a board game so that the concept of growing leadership can be spread and we can start teaching it to our young people from the beginning at different stages. What does it mean, et cetera. And I thank you all and just very, very excited about this. Because, to me, this is the future. You have to create the future that you want. It doesn't just happen. And we can't just sit down and complain. We're going to do our part. We got to keep building. We got to keep building. So I thank you very much. We are open for question and answers. [applause] >> Angel Batiste: Before we start the Q&A, this program is being webcast. So if you decide to ask a question, you are giving your -- giving permission for the webcasting, also. And with that, do we have any questions? If we have questions for any guests, first? Okay, Eve. >> Eve Ferguson: [inaudible] In their endeavors to change the world. Now my question is [unintelligible] that women have become [unintelligible] in the effort of peace-building within [unintelligible]. I would like to hear your informed opinion about why women are so critical in that process and what they bring to it that has really transformed our lives, the efforts of peace-building [unintelligible]. >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Thank you very much. Please when you speak next, please identify yourselves and where you're coming from to help me so I can know -- [inaudible] >> Eve Ferguson: Okay, the question was that currently we see a lot of women stepping into roles of peace-building in Africa. And I would like to hear Dr. Akerele's opinion, informed opinion about why women have become such a critical part of the peace-building process in African nations. >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Thank you very much. In the context of the manner of a union, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Cote d'Ivoire, it was the women of that sub-region that ignited the peace process that lead to the end of the war in that sub-region. It was very, very important and that was because the women got tired. They were praying. They were praying. I'm sure you may have heard about this peace activity and even at Ghana, at the peace -- the peace conference there. The women were strong and they were there. And you ask why the women -- who are the people who are being killed. They're our children, aren't they? Who are the people? The child soldiers. Child soldiers in Nigeria today. You're talking about -- what do you call it? Bombs? They put the bombs on them. What do you call it? >> Female Speaker: Suicide bombers. >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Suicide bombers. Children 10 years old. So we are the mothers, we have the future ones -- future for our children. And we have seen -- we have seen where our countries are. So the women must go out there and make things happen. I just mentioned to you about the Women's Situation Room that is taking place in Nigeria today. The Women's Situation Room -- read about it. Look at the representation, the participation. We have to be there. We have to have a voice on the table. Because if our voice isn't there, who knows? But we have to be there. We have to be there. We have to be at the table. Thank you. Yes, madame? >> Female Speaker: Thank you, that was a very inspiring and a very inspiring presentation. I would have asked about your own your own journey. You said that you were influenced by those who came before you, but what is it that sparked your interest to prove -- to [unintelligible] the political and social objectives other than, you know, any of the others? >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Let's say it wasn't conscious. Let's also say I happened to come from a political family, a family of public service throughout the history of Liberia from the birth of the nation and the issue and the concept of responsibility -- responsibility to nationhood. I've seen it all my life. That's all I've seen. So I did not consciously go into -- I don't even know how I got into it, frankly. I consider myself a technical person. In fact, one of my brothers get very upset with me when I say I'm not a politician. I say, "I'm not a politician." He says, "But you're holding all these top positions. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Commerce and Industry." I said, "But I'm not a politician. I'm a technocrat. I'm a technocrat." But even if you are a technocrat, if you want a better day for your people, if you want to build on what others have done then you cannot just relent. You cannot just relent. You have a responsibility. Okay. Thank you. Yes, Madame. >> Sheila Durant: Hi, my name is Sheila Durant, I'm the chair of the Maryland Sister States program for Liberia and so glad to be with you, so happy to be in your company. [unintelligible] >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Okay. Let me say that -- and you've seen the book. Leadership training, combined with internships, attachments, opportunity to work and learn, participate in major issues that may be on the table -- so as leadership training, when I'm talking about the skill set, et cetera, but also the opportunity for internships and attachments. This is something that is -- is very -- is very easy in this country and it's clear. Your young people come to Africa. They come and learn X, Y, Z. They get in touch with us as Minister of Foreign Affairs. We have so-and-so people to send to Africa. You don't have to pay them. We will take care of them. These are opportunities to expose people to -- this is what I call the development, okay? And so your young people come over there in Africa and they get into these experiences hands-on. Many of our people don't. And that is why, when I talk leadership, [unintelligible], and by the way, what I do -- what we do is we have established at the Angie Brooks Centre, the opportunity for interns and mentorship program for young Africans. Professionals on the ground level. Because the opportunities aren't there. Let me say that I want to pay tribute here to -- this is what the U.N. Voluntary Fund for Women was all about. It started out with support to small-scale programs and projects to enhance women participation in the economy. All this -- you hear all this about evolving loan fund and all of -- that is a big thing. Micro -- microfinance. Let me tell you. It started with UNIFEM. It started with UNIFEM. All this microfinance and all of that in Swaziland. It came from the [unintelligible] bank. We supported them under Peg Snyder was the director of UNIFEM. Helping women in terms of accessing opportunity for trade and commerce -- let me give you an example. It's in this book also. We had a -- there was a Liberian woman, Grace. Grace, her name is in here. She was making jewelry. We sent her to -- Minister of Commerce sent her to -- Amazing Grace is her project -- sent her to Ghana for training. Came from Ghana, hired a lot of other women to give them jobs, opportunities. She was the first exporter. The first Liberian exporter under AGOA. Yes. I was here in 2006 for the AGOA Conference. 2006 and then the trade representative did a great job. By the end of the year, we were in AGOA. But this woman helped her do that. Peanuts making and so on. In other words, you have to enhance women's capacity to earn. To be able to send their children to school. But more than that, to make a contribution to development. These are some of the insights you will learn about. >> Sheila Durant: Thank you. >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Welcome. >> Angel Batiste: We'll have one more question. The gentleman in the back. >> Male Speaker: [inaudible] >> Olubanke King-Akerele: Okay. First of all you said you recently learned that piece of information. Did -- do you know about the [inaudible] Togo Benin? Do you know about the extraordinary women who paid for the education of many of today's politicians? How many right here, do not recall the role that their mothers played in where they are today? So the issue of women in terms of primary receivers of microcredit and all of that? First of all, they're very good. Women repay the loan all over the world. The [inaudible] Bank will tell you how X percentage of the loan repayment are from the women. But let me tell you what has to happen. I know about the microcredit. We started that back in the '80s. You know what I'd like to see? I would like to see today for the women to move from microcredit [inaudible]. That is where you're going to get the implications for the long-term that you're talking about. The implications for the long-term -- as long as you're here at the microcredit level, you're able to send -- you're able to, you know, pay for small things, take care of the small things. But for those businesses to grow -- for those businesses to grow for the women entrepreneurs who have access to those finance and all of that, we've got to see what needs to be done. I think it's in Namibia? Namibia they have some special considerations. But in terms of the long-term impact or significance of this, let us see where in the world the women are moving from this small microcredit. Microcredit is hand them off. It will help them. But I want to see our women appear, grow to be able to access credit facilities. For that, we need some interventions, some strong thinking. We need some interventions from the government. We need some interventions from those who have experience in this area. But women do pay back the loans. They're good creditors, but they need more money. They don't need to stay at the micro-level. If they stay at the micro-level, that woman I told you about, Amazing Grace, she couldn't have exported under AGOA. If we can get our women to export under AGOA, to benefit from some of these other things that are coming into the country, this is good. I know there are programs and Liberia and elsewhere by USAID in terms of helping women. I don't have the details on my fingertips. But basically, what I'm saying -- let's not stay at the microcredit level. Let's not stay at the microcredit level. We've got to move up. The books -- [applause] >> Angel Batiste: This concludes our program. Again, I'd like to invite all of you, please visit us here in the African section of the Library of Congress. And come and explore our vast resources. At this point, we will have a book signing. Books will be on sale and the author will sign books. And we'll also have a small celebration for Women's History Month. And men are invited. So if we go to the conference area here, we can continue on with our program. Thank you. >> This has been a presentation of the Library of Congress. Visit us at loc.gov. From the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.