"Your Voices Are Heard On The Global Stage"

Here is a video of some of the attendees' views on the Forum, held at the National Museum of African Art in DC, and what needs to be done in their countries and around Africa to continue to develop and grow. As Hilary said in her speech "your voices are heard on the global stage", referring to the privileged position the Young Leaders have to affect their families, communities, countries and continent and their ability to harness global forces if they so choose, due to their education and drive.  Technically this is a potentially global platform due to the affordances of the Internet he he he. It is nice to see people passionately and intelligently taking up the challenge of change, even though the path they will have to take is likely to be rife with setbacks and resistance.  As Clinton said it is a worthy cause to take up as the benefits outweigh the opportunity costs of the journey.

Ubuntu

Despite the disappointment surrounding the African teams, each one is proud of being at the World Cup and is honoured to represent Africa.  This article has some great quotes.


Gyan of Ghana: "We are praying for the other African countries because it is very, very important for us Africans to make sure that we go further than in the past. That is our ambition, not Ghana, but the whole of Africa."


Yahia of Algeria "It's important because Africa has made a huge contribution to the game of football. To host this World Cup is a great source of pride for us as Africans, and to be able to represent Algeria on African soil really doubles that feeling of pride."


This article also highlights how the Sahara being used to divide the continent is fabricated.  It is something I have always not liked about how Africa is presented in Western Media.  Every time I watch the Africa Cup of Nations I always think about how North African teams are just as passionate, they do their dances when they score just like the rest of the continent and are proud to win, as Egypt was earlier this year.  If they didn't feel African, why would they bother to be associated with the competition?  Why would Libya be calling for a United States of Africa? I hate how divisions are created and/ or sustained to perpetuate the fractures caused by history on the continent.  We Africans also need to do better to expose and deny them too!

Watch World Cup Kick-Off Concert TODAY!!!

It will be on at 8pm CAT, 7pm UK Summer Time, 6pm GMT, 2pm EST and 11am PST.  To watch it online make sure to go to World Cup Vevo, where there is also a countdown to when it will be showing. It will also be broacast live on TV, so check your local listings. It seems ESPN are dedicated to making up for their 2006 coverage and will be broadcasting the concert live on ESPN 2 :)

World renowned artists Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas and John Legend are featured, and of course Shakira will be there to perform the official song with Freshly Ground.

I am glad to see that the majority of the acts are African:  Amadou and Mariam, Angelique Kidjo, BLK JKS, Hugh Masekela, K'NAAN, Lira, Mzansi Youth Choir, Soweto Youth Choir, Tinirawen, The Parlotones, Vieux Farka Toure and Vusi Mahlasela.

And here is K'NAAN's song, Wavin' Flag - The People's Anthem, that is considered the unofficial World Cup Anthem:

And here it is featured in the World Cup Coca Cola campaign:





And here is Pepsi's response but they should know that Coke is unrivaled in the World and particularly in Africa. On the continent it is basically the ONLY choice coz it tastes better for one and in South they were one of the first companies to support Black businesses and businessmen during Apartheid. Having Drogba, Lampard, Messi, Kaka and Henry in the ad plus having an Akon song is nice but won't be enough to sway people to stock Pepsi over Coke I'm afraid! It's a good ad though I do have to say...