Dear Friends,

With the summer now in full force, AAI is steadily gearing up for our 60^th anniversary celebrations, Awards Gala and Inaugural Talent Summit, as well as our ongoing programmatic work. We had very successful recent Transformational Leadership Program (TLP) training and events mid-May in Kenya and Nigeria. It was refreshing to hear from TLP participants on how they are applying the management skills and leadership training gained at the trainings to make a lasting difference in their local communities. AAI is currently searching for additional donors for this innovative and impactful program.

AAI is thrilled to share with you our newly launched website. We invite you to explore our new site and experience the fresh, new look and easy navigation of the redesign. Let us know what you think!

Our anniversary celebrations in New York City are right around the corner. We hope to see you in September in New York City!

Here are the latest updates from our celebration activities:

• AAI Inaugural Talent Summit – September 21. AAI’s Talent Summit is the premier event for professionals that seek employment in Africa. This Talent Summit will bring together industry leaders from local and global organizations to share trends, growth predictions and current opportunities for employment. Attendees will hear from expatriates and repatriates about their career experiences in Africa and leading experts on recruitment, Diaspora policies, growth sectors and more during this special event designed specifically for mid-career professionals. This event is a must for anyone who wants the inside scoop how to successfully navigate career opportunities in Africa. Please visit the AAI Inaugural Talent Summit page for more information.

• AAI’s 60th Anniversary Awards Dinner Gala – September 25. This year’s spectacular 60th Anniversary Awards Dinner Gala will be held on Wednesday, September 25 at the New York Hilton. The 2013 honorees are the African Union; Nigerian Financier and Philanthropist Tony O. Elumelu; Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, newly-appointed Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All; and Chevron. Stay on top of the most recent gala developments by visiting our Gala News page.

Many of us closely followed President Barack Obama’s weeklong trip to Africa. In South Africa, he met with students in a town hall meeting to outline his flagship program President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The Tony Elumelu Foundation was selected by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as one of the organizations to support key components of the initiative. Our AAI 2013 honoree Tony O. Elumelu was chosen as an Advisor of YALI’s Alliance on Emerging African Leaders and his foundation will provide guidance to the initiative and help identify candidates. Since AAI brings 60 years of experience in providing educational opportunities and training to young African leaders, we hope to engage closely with YALI.

The president also met with African Union Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma where he underscored the importance of the African Union and congratulated the AU on its 50^th anniversary. In May, I had the privilege of traveling with an AAI delegation to Ethiopia to mark the anniversary. You can read my reflections in a blog post on how the African Union Summit presents an opportunity to reflect on Africa’s future. Join in celebrating the milestone anniversaries of AAI and the AU at our Awards Gala.

Get connected to AAI! To sign up for the AAI email list, please email aainy@aaionline.org. For more information on The Africa-America Institute, please visit www.aaionline.org. Be sure to become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

All the best,

Amini Kajunju, President and CEO of The Africa-America Institute