Don’t miss the National Black Business Conference in Atlanta commemorating the 40th anniversary of the World Conference of Mayors and its first meeting in Liberia
The 124th National Black Business Conference, August 21-24 in Atlanta, holds special significance as it celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the World Conference of Mayors.
A highlight of this year’s conference will be the special guest speaker, President Joseph Boakai, who became the 26th president of the West African country, the Republic of Liberia in January. Boakai’s address will be August 23rd at the Pan African Diaspora Business Luncheon.
What is meaningful about President Boakai’s visit is that it marks a milestone that took place four decades ago.
“This occasion is important because 40 years ago, The World Conference of Mayors hosted its first national conference in Monrovia, Liberia. And now it’s coming full circle,” says Dr. Kenneth L. Harris, Ph.D., the 16th president and CEO of the National Business League, the organization created by Booker T. Washington in 1900, and one of the co-hosts of next month’s conference.
“So, should I say, since we went home first, now Liberia is coming to the United States to continue the work that was started 40 years ago, except now, we are focused on black businesses,” Harris explains.
Johnny Ford, who also served as co-founder of the preceding Black Mayors organization before founding The World Conference of Mayors, expressed his excitement for this year’s event. Ford is also CEO and Secretary General of the WCM.
“As we celebrate the historic 40th Anniversary of The World Conference of Mayors, we acknowledge the pivotal role Black mayors play in the economic development of cities, towns, and historic settlements,” Ford says in a written statement. “These legacies trace their roots back to the visionary leadership of Booker T. Washington and pave the way for the future of Black Mayors all over the world.”
The National Alliance for Black Business (2022), co-founded by The National Business League ® (1900), National Black Chamber of Commerce ® (1993), and The World Conference of Mayors ® (1984), is thrilled to cohost the NBL’s 124th National Black Business Conference ®.
Anticipated to attract hundreds of Black-owned businesses, professionals, and elected officials from around the globe, the conference will serve as a dynamic platform for networking, knowledge-sharing, and forging strategic partnerships with city, state, national, federal, and global resources, and leadership. The event is hosted by local, Black-led business institutions, including the Atlanta Business League, Greater Georgia Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council.
Part of the National Black Business Conference agenda will spotlight the profound impact of Black mayors in fostering entrepreneurship, economic development, and community growth, echoing the visionary principles championed by Washington. Established in 1984, The World Conference of Mayors serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of Black Mayoral leadership and economic empowerment within Black communities worldwide.
This year also pays homage to 50 years since the Southern Conference of Black Mayors held its inaugural National Conference at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel. Notably, Daniel “Chappy” James, the first four-star Black general in the Air Force and a Tuskegee airman, served as keynote speaker, setting the stage for the remarkable journey of Black elected leadership in the years to come.
The primary objective of The World Conference of Mayors, Inc. is to stimulate positive and constructive relations between mayors internationally, based on interlocking interests and concerns. Through a network of international municipal associations, mayors, and units of local governments, The World Conference of Mayors, Inc. plans designs, and manages a global, intergovernmental communications system, promoting trust, trade, tourism, technology, treasury, training, and twin city programs and services between mayors and cities of the world.
In April 1984, The Honorable Johnny Ford, then Mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama, and President of the National Conference of Black Mayors, Inc. (NCBM), convened mayors from the United States, Asia, the African continent, and the Caribbean Islands, in St. Louis, and organized The World Conference of Mayors, lnc. (WCM). This historic meeting occurred during the NCBM Annual Meeting, and Ford and other African American mayors throughout the United States enthusiastically welcomed the international mayors to St. Louis.
The World Conference of Mayors, Inc. strongly believes that leaders of local government working together can lead to a more peaceful world and facilitate economic prosperity for all. The World Conference of Mayors, Inc. has seven fundamental goals:
TRUST: To establish mutual trust, understanding, and respect between municipal officials around the world.
TRADE: To cultivate working relationships between cities which will lead to maximum trade (imports and exports) as well as investment opportunities.
TOURISM: To stimulate increased tourist travel between cities of the world
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: To foster the exchange of technical assistance, expertise, and information for the mutual benefit of local governments.
TWIN CITIES: To establish twins of “sister” city relationships that will focus on cultural and educational exchange, thereby promoting goodwill.
TREASURY: To strengthen the cities of the world through effective monetary policies and practices
TRAINING: To train mayors to better manage the cities of the world.
Join the 124th National Black Business Conference in Atlanta and network with entrepreneurs, collaborate with business leaders, and empower your business.
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