Friday, August 31, 2007

Danny Glover Co-Chairs African Diaspora Heritage Conference

AFRICAN DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE HELD IN THE BAHAMAS

(BLACK PR WIRE RELEASE)

DALLAS, TX (August 30, 2007) - The Islands Of The Bahamas will host the African Diaspora Heritage Trail (ADHT) Conference with the theme, "From Slave Ship to Self-Determined Destinations," October 10 - 14, 2007 at the Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, in Nassau, Bahamas.

Actor and activist Danny Glover will co-chair the conference with former U.N. Ambassador to The Bahamas, Davidson Hepburn. The Honorable Neko Grant, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, and the Government of The Bahamas will host this year's conference at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.

Founded by the Government of Bermuda, the ADHT is a global heritage tourism initiative seeking to establish a transnational African Diaspora Heritage Trail, linking Diasporan countries and venues around the world.

The ADHT Conference provides a forum for scholars, professionals and travel officials to explore the African Diaspora and its impact on African cultures and heritage. The Conference allows attendees committed to researching the African Diaspora to showcase its cultural significance through artistic expression, written and oral histories, institutional building and policy-making.

Featured presenters include Shirley Franklin, Mayor, City of Atlanta; Doudou Diene, Special Rapporteur, United Nations High Commission for Human Rights; Patricia J. Francis, Executive Director, International Trade Centre; Howard Dodson, Chief of the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture; and A.B. Spellman, Author and Former Deputy Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Attendees can experience the African Diaspora Heritage Trail among The Bahamas Islands of Exuma, Eleuthra and Harbor Island during optional pre and post-conference guided tours. In addition to conference sessions and forums, other conference activities include an Afro-Caribbean Film Festival, African Diaspora Trade Expo, Gala Awards Dinner and the unveiling of the historic African Diaspora landmark in The Bahamas.

Registration is available until October 1, which includes conference fees, meals, all special events, transportation and materials. Airfare, accommodations and airport transportation is not included.

To register and learn more of how the African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference will transcend cultural boundaries and ignite international dialogue about the African heritage and culture, visit http://www.adht.net/ for more information or call 301-650-5700 Ext. 507.

About The Islands Of The Bahamas

The Islands Of The Bahamas form a 100,000-sq-mile archipelago that extends over 500 miles of the clearest water in the world. Our 700 islands, including uninhabited cays and large rocks, total an estimated land area of 5,382 sq miles, and register a highest land elevation of 206 ft. Most notable, however, is that each island has its own diversity that continues beyond geography, carrying through to the heart of The Bahamas, the Bahamian people. You'll find it in our heritage. In our culture. And in our humble pride. These are The Islands Of The Bahamas. Population: somewhere north of 300,000.