The African Leadership Academy Model Africa Union 2019 (ALAMAU 2019) welcomed more than 250 delegates, from 22 different schools on the continent and the United States of America, as they hosted their sixth annual, five-day conference at the Indaba Hotel in Johannesburg.
The opening night kicked off with an inspiring keynote address by South African Academic, former Parliamentary Leader and Executive Director of Apolitical Foundation, Lindiwe Mazibuko.
The 2019 student run ALAMAU staff, under the guidance of ALAMAU founder and ALA Director of Program Recruitment and Partnership, Faith Abiodun, put together an impactful model of the African Union in this year’s conference. Delegates got to choose and participate in one of the 11 committee sessions, where various topics were discussed in the aim to create implementable solutions to African developmental challenges.
Delegates where challenged to step outside of the box when it comes to navigating around the difficult dialogues in the aim to find concrete and realistic solutions. They were faced to critically looking at, “What does Africa’s future look like and how can we begin to build that future today?”, a question the Dean of Global Programs at ALA, Uzo Agyare-Kumi put to them in her welcoming address.
ALAMAU Faculty Research Coordinator, Maya Schkolne encouraged delegates to enter ALAMAU with open mind sets. She went on to say they should figuratively step outside of themselves to enter into the minds of diplomats from another part of the continent that they would perhaps know little about or had a misperception about, represent them and their multifaceted considerations, while contend their own perceptions, in order to come to an amicable solution.
Delegates also got to participate in fun activities such as a trip exploring different areas of the city of Johannesburg, as well as getting glammed up for the Cultural Night and their Gala Dinner where social awards, ALA live entertainment and great music kept delegates attentive.
