2005 Africa Day

18 May 2005, U Thant Hall

Date:         Wednesday, 18 May 2005
Registration: UNU HQ 2F Registration Area        09.30-10.00 hours
Venue & Time: 3F U Thant International Conference Hall 10.00-13.30 hours
Simultaneous Japanese-English interpretation is provided. Admission Free

The symposium is being co-organized by the United Nations University and the African Diplomatic Corps. Co-sponsors include the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications.

The Africa Day Symposium offers an opportunity for the African Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo to enter into a genuine dialogue with all concerned groups in Japan, based on a shared commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to the sustained development of Africa.
The Africa Day Symposium this year coincides with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) thematic meeting “Towards the Realization of the Ubiquitous Network Society,” to be organized by the Government of Japan, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations University (UNU) on 16-17 May 2005 (http://www.wsis-japan.jp). The symposium is also intended to contribute to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference (Indonesia). This will be an opportunity to further strengthen African-Asian cooperation. The objective of the symposium is to bring to the forefront the importance of promoting digital partnership and of bridging the digital divide, issues which will be addressed at the Second Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society to be held in Tunis, November 2005. The symposium also intends to provide input for the G8 Summit to be held at Gleneagles, Scotland (UK), in July 2005.

Opening Remarks and Keynote Presentations