Africa Day 2016 ~ Expanding California-Pan African Trade and Commerce

BILL NUMBER: SR 31 ENROLLED

ADOPTED IN SENATE MAY 25, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Senator Price ~ Relative to Africa Day 2012

WHEREAS, On May 25, 1963, the Organization of African Union was founded to promote the unity and solidarity of the African nation states to act as a collective voice for the African continent. Today, the African Union continues the journey to secure Africa's long-term cultural, economic, and political future; and

WHEREAS, The African Cultural Foundation, California Black Agriculture Working Group, and community supporters join global celebrations of Africa Day to celebrate the African Diaspora with leaders from all over the world who meet in Stanton, Johannesburg, South Africa where African Presidents, Presidents from Caribbean nations, as well as Presidents from South America will attend the first ever extraordinary Global African Diaspora Summit, African Day 2012; and

WHEREAS, The California Black Agriculture Working Group is focused on expanding California African Trade and Commerce to grow job creation and career development while expanding healthy solutions of local food system production by people of African ancestry to the "California Grown" brand both within the urban service boundary and rural California; and

WHEREAS, California political, business, and community leaders are invited to build a solid foundation for reviving market based diverse African specialty crops with higher nutritional value that targets diet related disease with epidemic health care costs throughout California and beyond; and

WHEREAS, Africa Day 2012, celebrating the African Diaspora, seeks to grow a commitment by California toward structured relationships between Africa to define key goals and identify specific projects to which collective African efforts, governmental and nongovernmental, will be directed. Together we can chart a way forward in institutionalizing processes of African cooperation, dialog,
planning, and implementation of strategies and projects; and

WHEREAS, The Africa USA International Chamber of Commerce, African Culture Foundation, and California Black Agriculture Working Group join in the building and commitment to the development of a formal California - African Union partnership; and

WHEREAS, In collaboration with the African Union and the Global African Diaspora Summit we will consolidate a historic vision and will build the framework for effective implementation and celebrate African Day, May 25, 2012; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate recognizes Friday, May 25, 2012, as Africa Day 2012 to celebrate the African Diaspora and to reinforce our economic relationship with the continent of Africa; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.