MAU Leads the charge in getting bid for Minnesota
………As Consular Corp briefing due in Chicago on Monday
By: Mohammed Abu
Minnesota Africans United will host a briefing for Chicago-based Consul Generals and Honorary Consuls on Monday, December 12th at the University Club in Chicago.
This will be an open meeting, with formal invitations to the Consular Corp and to other key leaders, according to an official MAU announcement.
Minnesota Africans United (MAU), the civil society organization representing Diaspora communities from the entire continent, has been crucial to the success of this bid.
MAU has built very good support for Minnesota’s bid by building strong, long-lasting relationships with African leaders through trade missions, webinars, conferences, hosting visiting delegations, and with direct lobbying of Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors, Cabinet Members, and Heads of State.
This briefing will be led by Basil Ajuo, President and CEO of Minnesota Africans United. At this briefing he will report on MAU recent delegations to lobby key decision-makers specifically, and he will discuss how Expo 2027 will benefit the African communities in Chicago.
Joining MAU President Ajuo for this briefing, will be Mark Ritchie, founder Minnesota USA Expo and co-author of the Minnesota’s official bid, entitled “Wellness and Wellbeing for All: Healthy People, Healthy Planet.” He will discuss the important role that Chicago has played over the last decade in this process, and how we can maximize potential benefits for our region.
Minnesota Africans United Minnesota’s bid to host the 2027 World’s Fair is in the final stage, with strong backing from all branches of the Federal Government and from public and private sector leaders throughout the nation.
Chicago has a central role in Expo 2027 – as the host city of nearly all Consulates covering our region, the location of many of our nation’s leading medical and health organizations and corporations, and as a major travel/ tourism hub.
Visitors and participants in Expo 2027 and related activities will travel around the U.S. and across the entire planet – often stopping by Chicago along the way. Heads of State will visit, as will many other key leaders.
The briefing is to provide important background information and an up-to-date assessment of where things stand going into President Biden’s Africa-U.S. Summit.
For more information, please contact Deanna Nord, founder and president of the Chicago-based Midwest Alliance of Health Innovations and Impact.
The Alliance has been one of the key supporters of Minnesota’s Expo bid, working to bring attention to the potential economic benefits for our entire region.
