The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa and Travel Channel Present- The Presidential Tour of Senegal

On Location: Dakar, Senegal November 26, 2009

The Presidential Palace

The Presidential Palace of the Republic of Sengal is located on Roume Avenue and is surrounded by sumptuous tropical garden.

Built in 1907, for then Governor General Roume, the presidential palace stands in the middle of a beautiful park overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Though the Palace is not open to visitors, bystanders are fascinated by the Palace's Red guards, dressed in traditional colonial style uniforms, who stand watch over the residence. Surrounded by a tall iron fence, visitors are strongly advised not to take pictures of the Presidential Palace without the permission of a Red Guard.

In 1967, the most important habitant of the Presidential Palace was "le president de la Republique" Leopold Sedor Senghor, the first president of the Senegal. It is now the residence and home of the current President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade.

Photo Credit – Jeff Siberry BEYOND PRODUCTIONS

Live Teach Africa Webinar

Join fellow teachers and students in a live web event Tuesday, December 15, from 10:30-11:30am. The Live Teach Africa Webinar will give participants first-hand insight into Africa, its peoples and cultures. This unique webinar will feature a presentation from Her Excellency Dr. Faida Mitifu, Ambassador from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the United States. Ambassador Mitifu has testified before Congress and speaks at many universities and conferences regarding the resolution of crisis and the peace process that led the DRC to a free election in 2006. Learn more about the many developments taking place in this central African nation, which is home to a diverse population of more than 68 million people.

The webinar will be broadcast live from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. where we will have a live audience of over 140 high school students. Sponsored by USAID, the Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership, The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa and Discovery Education, this unique online event is an extension of the ExploreAfricaToday.com initiative, which features the AfricaToday documentary series, and is part of the USAID-funded Teach Africa program.

The Teach Africa program showcases the cultures and histories of Africa and underscores the importance of its inclusion in American curricula. One-day Africa immersion forums for more than 3,300 students were held in Atlanta, GA, Houston, TX, and Los Angeles, CA, earlier this year. Teach Africa, launched by The Africa Society in 2002, has previously been implemented in Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, PA, San Francisco, CA, and Portland, OR.

Be Part of an International Dialogue.
Discover and Explore Africa Today!

Online Webinar
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
10:30-11:30am ET

REGISTER NOW!
copy and paste the following URL into a browser:
http://links.discoveryeducation.com/teachafrica

* The first 15 people to register for and attend the webinar will receive a free DVD.

AIDS: Closer to Home Than You Might Think

Last week people all around the globe observed World AIDS day. Established by The World Health Organization in 1988, World AIDS Day was designed to raise awareness about the deadly AIDS pandemic. All too often the faces we associate with HIV/AIDS, disease, and death are those of African women and children. But HIV/AIDS is not just an African problem.

Considering Washington D.C. has the highest AIDS rate of any city in the United States, the deadly disease is much closer to home than many Americans may realize. "Our rates are higher than West Africa," said Shannon Hader, the district's HIV/AIDS administration director. And he’s right; according to a city report, three percent of Washington, D.C. residents are afflicted with HIV or AIDS. On the other hand, UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS) estimates that in the West African nation of Senegal, only one percent of adults are living with HIV.

Senegal established an aggressive task force designed to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic in 1986, making it a model for AIDS prevention and treatment on the continent. In our effort to educate Americans and break negative stereotypes about Africa, The Africa Society believes that it is important to call attention to such success stories. Some African nations are unfairly stigmatized by HIV/AIDS as a result of the stories and images we are fed by the media, while the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the nation’s capital remains largely underreported. Despite these discrepancies, and despite the efforts of governmental and non-profit organizations alike, HIV/AIDS affects millions of people globally. Do your part. Get tested.

The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa and Travel Channel Present – Senegal: The Presidential Tour

The Africa Society is currently on location in Dakar, Senegal filming Senegal: The Presidential Tour, featuring President Abdoulaye Wade and hosted by Mr. Tiki Barber

President Abdoulaye Wade receives President and CEO of The Africa Society, Ms. Bernadette Paolo, in the President's executive office adjacent to the presidential palace.

Concluding the first official interview with President Abdoulaye Wade and Mr. Tiki Biarber in the President’s executive office.
As seen in the photo (from left to right): Papa Mohamed Camara, Ms. Marieme Ba, Mr. Alphousseyni Diamanka, Ms. Bernadette Paolo, President Abdoulaye Wade, Mr. Jomo K. Bellard, Mr. Tiki Barber, Mr. Youssoufa Ba, Ms. Mariemema Drame, and Ms. Tracey Johnson.


Photo Credit: Beyond Productions/Mr. Geff Siberry