Africa Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference

The ADHT International Youth Leadership Summit is a special project of the African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference in cooperation with the Andrew Young Foundation with the mission to transmit the rich heritage and legacy of the African Diaspora to the next generation of leaders and to expose them to the broad range of disciplines and professions that are required to preserve, interpret and protect African Diaspora traditions and legacy found in their communities and countries.

The Youth Summit and ADHT Conference are being hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources & Tourism of the United Republic of Tanzania, October 25-30, 2009 in Dar Es Salaam and Zanzibar.

Joining the Youth Summit initiative, The Andrew Young Foundation will provide invaluable assistance with planning, program design, curriculum development, and recruitment of youth delegations from their extensive network of youth-serving programs. The Foundation has achieved international acclaim for its work to support and promote education, health, leadership development and human rights throughout the African Diaspora.

Why Attend the Youth Summit?

Young people (and their adult chaperones) of all cultures seeking experiences that will:

• Enrich their educational exposure and deepen their knowledge about African Diaspora history and culture
• Expose them to the cutting edge discussion and thinking about programs, policies and resources designed to enhance a country or community’s economic development through cultural heritage tourism
• Provide them entry into a new international network of peers and colleagues who share their interests and concerns
• Offer them an opportunity to develop their leadership skills in a nurturing environment that encourages participation and expression of beliefs and dreams
• Introduce them to East African culture, cuisine, music, dance and traditional and contemporary cultural industries

Who May Attend the Youth Summit?

Youth delegates must be currently enrolled in high school, university and graduate studies programs and must be between the ages of 15 -25. We strongly encourage participation from youth leaders of civic, community and country organizations, schools, institutions, cultural programs and youth pursuing studies in the performing and visual arts, African and/or African American studies, history, anthropology, museum studies, and tourism and destination management. Each country, city or state organizing a delegation to the ADHT Conference is encouraged to include their developing youth leadership as a part of their country’s representation. Enrollment for the 2009 Youth Summit is limited to 50 youth participants and admission will be managed on a first-come first-served basis.

What is the Youth Summit Program?

The Youth Summit will consist of four fast-paced days of conference sessions, exploration of the historic sites along the new “Ivory and Slave Route Trail” of Tanzania, cultural events, performances, exhibits and cultural activities. The Summit will feature special youth-only workshops that will enable students to interact with their peers from Tanzania and other countries and engage in small group dialogue with international scholars, government officials, tourism management professionals, professional artists and heritage institution officials attending the 2009 conference.

The Youth Summit will create a special series of youth-centered programs and activities that will engage the young people in discussions and exchange that will enable them to learn why African Diaspora heritage preservation is an important component of their country’s economic development and cultural preservation efforts. The learning environment will also help them to understand how they too can contribute to the movement and appreciate the special insight that they bring. The Youth Summit will enable young people to engage in dialogue and express themselves in focused activities designed to help them grow as scholars and leaders of the future.

Day of Community Service in Tanzania

Youth Summit delegates are invited to participate in a special day of community service, working with the non-profit health and education program, AHEAD (Adventures in Health, Education and Agricultural Development) founded 30 years ago by African- American Doctor Irving Williams and his wife, Elvira. AHEAD maintains comprehensive programs of health, nutrition, education and medical programs for Tanzanian families. Each year, AHEAD takes volunteers to spend the summer building health centers, improving hospitals, building schools and dormitories. The Youth Summit will assist AHEAD to complete the final stages of a new girls secondary school dormitory in the town of Kisarawe, located 30 miles south of Dar es Salaam. Here the youth will meet village elders and students and work together with the community to complete the painting and set up of dormitory equipment for the school year.

How Will The Youth Summit Benefit Communities?

The Youth Summit is envisioned as a community service program. Young people will be required to complete at least one of the following post-conference tasks that will help them to synthesize their experiences and also to share them with their school, clubs and community.

• Prepare an article or essay for school or organization publication describing the impact that the experience abroad in Africa has had on their understanding of the African Diaspora.
• Present a multi-media exhibit of their travel to Tanzania and participation in the Youth Summit to be displayed at their school, religious institution, organization or for youth conferences and meetings.
• Prepare a 10-minute Power point presentation describing the Youth Summit and its programs and benefits to potential delegates to future conferences.
• Enroll in a language course that teaches African languages in their community.
• Produce a collage, or other visual art piece that is inspired by the experiences and educational knowledge gained during the Youth Summit.
• Choreograph a dance piece that is inspired by the experiences and educational knowledge gained during the Youth Summit.
• Prepare a paper on how heritage tourism can positively effect a particular economy and/or the considerations one must undertake before tackling a heritage tourism mission