Africare Honors "Bipartisan Congressional Engagement with Africa" at Annual Africare Bishop Walker Dinner

Sen. Lugar, Rep. Payne Honored; Secretary Powell Delivers Remarks

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 11, 2004)—Africare, the oldest and largest African-American organization specializing in aid to Africa, paid tribute to Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-Indiana) and Congressman Donald M. Payne (D-New Jersey) — honoring "bipartisan Congressional engagement with Africa" — at the 2004 Africare Bishop John T. Walker Memorial Dinner, held Friday, Nov. 5, 2004, in Washington D.C. Nearly 2,000 people attended. Event proceeds, totaling nearly $1 million, will benefit Africare's mission of humanitarian assistance in 25 nations Africa-wide.

Among the corporate, government, national and international supporters who were present were notable speakers such as former HHS Secretary Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., former Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater, and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. "Over the years," stated Powell, "Africare has been a valued partner of the State Department — valued for the work that it does in Sub-Saharan Africa. Africare has contributed important human capital for African development through its projects across the continent..."

David J. O'Reilly, Chairman and CEO of ChevronTexaco Corporation, served as the corporate National Chair of the 2004 event. In presenting the keynote address, O'Reilly noted that "this needs to be the century of Africa ." He continued: "There is no way that we can be successful as a global society without bringing Africa along with the rest of the world. Its potential is too great, its resources too broad, and its people too creative for it not to reach that full potential."

Congressman Payne and Senator Lugar jointly received Africare's 2004 Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award — an award presented in past years to, among others, Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu, Graca Machel, Andrew Young, Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, Dr. Dorothy Height, Bill and Melinda Gates, and then-President Nelson R. Mandela. In his acceptance speech, Congressman Payne referred to Africare as "one of the most outstanding organizations of its nature in the world." Senator Lugar noted, "This gathering is an extraordinary event in the annual political discourse of our nation. For here we are surrounded by fellow citizens of goodwill, who are united in our concern for Africa and our desire that the United States be a constructive friend to the people of that continent. The fellowship of this evening is a reflection of what is possible and what should be." Senator Lugar chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Congressman Payne is a longstanding activist for Africa on the House International Relations Committee and the Ranking Minority Member of its Africa Subcommittee.

Other event principals included former Presidents George H.W. Bush and William J. Clinton, National Honorary Patrons; the heads of state who chair the African Union and Africa's four leading regional organizations (CEMAC, COMESA, ECOWAS, and SADC), International Honorary Patrons; Maria Walker, Honorary Chair; and as General Chairs, Harold E. Doley, Jr. ( Founder, Doley Securities, LLC, and former U.S. Representative to the African Development Bank) and the Hon. Walter H. Kansteiner, III (Principal, The Scowcroft Group).

2004 also marked the 15 th anniversary of the death of the Rt. Rev. John Thomas Walker, for whom the event is named. Bishop Walker was the first African-American Episcopal Bishop of Washington, D.C., and chaired Africare's board of directors for 15 years. He died on Sept. 30, 1989. The Africare Dinner in his memory was first held in the fall of 1990 and takes place annually.

Africare was founded in 1970. Over its 34-year history, Africare has delivered more than $450 million in assistance — representing over 2,000 projects and millions of beneficiaries — to 35 countries Africa-wide. Today, Africare's 150-plus programs reach families and communities in 25 nations in every region of Sub-Saharan Africa.

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