Written by Angele Ventugol Onyie - UNAMA's Communications Chair -

Photo credit Toshi Tagawa for UPF - Iseu C. Diouf

New York, United States— The Africa Day Gala was celebrated this year in New York, theme: “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”.

This yearly event was organized at the Manhattan Center in New York by the African Union (AU) in partnership with UPF, the United Nations Ambassadors Spouses Group (UNAASG) on May 25, 2017.

The program was opened by the permanent observer of the African Union to the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Tete Antonio, who seized the opportunity to express a warm thank you to all the participants and organizers for creating this festive party. The the vice president of UPF International Mr. Taj Hamad, who has been the a key person for the organization of this event for years, was referred as the “icon of Africa Day”

H.E Ambassador Tete Antonio speaking on behalf of Mr. Moussa Faki, Chair African Union Commission, conveyed a message of “unity, embracing our youth and ending marginalization of Africa.”

H.E. Mamadi Touré, the permanent representative of Guinea to the UN, declared that Africa has all the resources needed and, with a united commitment to “our common values and destiny,” Africa’s emergence is entirely possible.

The other distinguished speakers included Mrs, Amina J. Mohammed, Under Secretary General to the UN, Madame Elise Andrianarivelo, the president of UNAASG and the wife of the permanent representative of Madagascar to the UN; and H.E. Marcel Amon Tanoh, the minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of Cote D’Ivoire.

The United Nations African Mothers Association (UNAMA) was also part of this event, as sponsor of the Fashion Show. " I was proud to successful negotiate this partnership on behalf of Unama, and I thank H.E Ambassador TETE Antonio to take time in his busy schedule to meet me. African Fashion is part of our Cultural Heritage and we must protect it" said Angele Ventugol Onyie, Unama's Communications Chair of Communications and Show Director, speaking on behalf of Mrs Tommo Therese UNAMA's President and spouse of the Permanent Representative of Cameroon to the United Nations, and member of UNAASG

The program was followed by a buffet of meals cooked by ambassador's spouses, and live entertainment and a dancing party.