About Our Event
The International Conference, whose theme is “African the way forward,” is the premier gathering place for all those working on development issues in the conference and beyond.
It is a chance to assess where we are, evaluate recent developments, and lessons learnt, take stock of the situation as it affects people of African origin, and collectively chart a positive course forward.
Monday, 20 October 2025
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Conference Objectives
- Foster Pan-African Collaboration
- Promoting affiliation with the our vision for peace and conflict resolution.
- Supporting leadership development for the youth
- Empower Youth Leadership
- Promote African Economic Growth
- Culture and sports in modern contemporary African development
Invited Speakers
Hon. Doug Ford
Premier of OntarioHon. Doug Ford is a Canadian politician and businessman who has served as the 26th and current premier of Ontario and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party since 2018. He represents the Toronto riding of Etobicoke North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. In 2018, Ford entered provincial politics and won the Progressive Conservative leadership election. He led the PCs to three consecutive majority victories in the 2018, 2022, and 2025 general elections. As premier, Ford decreased the size of the Toronto city council, established the Low-income Individuals and Families Tax credit (LIFT), responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, granted extra powers to designated Ontario mayors through the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, passed the Your Health Act (Bill 60) to expand the use of private healthcare services, and grappled with controversies from the Greenbelt scandal. Although Ford's rhetoric and policies were characterized as conservative in his early years as premier, since 2020 political commentators have noted a shift to the political centre and a more co-operative attitude towards the federal government. Ford was sworn in as premier on June 29, 2018, incorporating a ceremony outdoors on the lawn of Queen's Park.Ford is the first newly elected MPP to take office as premier since Mitch Hepburn did so in 1934.
Dr Greg Carr
Associate Professor / Howard UniversityDr Greg Carr is an Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Howard School of Law. He is First Vice President of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations and Editor of The Compass: The Journal of ASCAC. A former board member of the National Council for Black Studies, Dr. Carr has twice been named national “HBCU Male Faculty Member of the Year” by HBCU Digest and has been voted "Professor of the Year" several times by Howard students. He led the team that designed the curriculum framework for the School District of Philadelphia’s mandatory high school African American History course and, during his time as the District's Program Specialist on Race and Culture, co-founded Philadelphia Freedom Schools. His writing has appeared in books, academic and popular journals and he serves as a contributor to and/or commentator in a wide range of media. He is a weekly panelist on the daily digital news show “Roland Martin Unfiltered” and co-hosts Karen Hunter’s weekly Saturday YouTube series, “In Class With Carr.” His commentaries on the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the opening of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture appeared in the August and September 2016 issues of Ebony Magazine. Dr. Carr’s chapter, “Re-Literacy and African Power in the Trump Era,” appears in Not Our President, Third World Press’ book-length commentary on the Trump presidency.
Olivia Chow
Mayor of TorontoOlivia Chow is a Canadian politician who has served as the 66th mayor of Toronto since July 12, 2023. Previously, Chow served as the New Democratic Party (NDP) member of Parliament (MP) for Trinity—Spadina from 2006 to 2014, and was a councillor on the Metro Toronto Council from 1992 to the 1998 amalgamation followed by Toronto City Council until 2005. Chow was first elected in 1985 as a Toronto school board trustee. She ran in the 1991 Toronto election, where she was elected to Metropolitan Toronto Council and remained active in local Toronto politics until her election to the House of Commons in the 2006 federal election. Her husband, Jack Layton, was also an MP, serving as leader of the Official Opposition in 2011 and leader of the NDP from 2003 until he died in 2011. Chow resigned her seat in Parliament in 2014 to run for mayor in the 2014 election, placing third to John Tory and Doug Ford. Following her 2014 campaign, she joined Toronto Metropolitan University as a distinguished visiting professor. In the 2015 federal election, she unsuccessfully ran in Spadina—Fort York. Chow was elected mayor in 2023 following Tory's resignation, defeating former deputy mayor Ana Bailão and former police chief Mark Saunders. Chow is the first female mayor post-amalgamation.
The Honourable Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International DevelopmentThe Honourable Mélanie Joly was first elected to represent Ahuntsic-Cartierville in the House of Commons in 2015. She has previously served as Minister of Economic Development, as Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, and as Minister of Canadian Heritage. As a member of Cabinet, Minister Joly has worked to promote Canadian culture and to grow and increase the visibility of Canada’s tourism sector. She has also worked to safeguard Canada’s two official languages while promoting the use of French in Canada and around the world, including in the digital sphere. In her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs, she has been promoting Canada’s interests around the world and has led Canada’s response to Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine. Prior to entering federal politics, Minister Joly founded the Vrai changement pour Montréal party and ran for mayor of Montréal in 2013 under its banner. Minister Joly holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the Université de Montréal and a Magister Juris in European and Comparative Law from the University of Oxford. She is the author of Changing the Rules of the Game, in which she shares her vision for public policy and civic engagement. She was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Gavin Mackenzie
SociologistSince his call to the bar 48 years ago, Gavin MacKenzie’s practice has focused on commercial litigation, civil appeals, arbitrations, judicial review applications, and professional responsibility, liability, and discipline. He has appeared as counsel in over 200 reported cases, before all levels of court including the Supreme Court of Canada and before many tribunals. He was honoured by induction as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2000. In recent years Mr. MacKenzie has repeatedly been approached to serve as an arbitrator of commercial and partnership disputes. He has served as both a sole arbitrator and as a member of a three-arbitrator panel. His experience as an arbitrator includes law firm partnership and costs disputes. He has been a member arbitrator at Arbitration Place since January 1, 2021, and has consistently been listed in Best Lawyers™ in Canada in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Mr. MacKenzie was elected as a Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario for four consecutive four-year terms, and was elected as Treasurer, the highest position in the Society, on three occasions between 2006 and 2008. He has also served as a Director of the Advocates' Society, the Medico-Legal Society of Toronto, and the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice. Mr. MacKenzie is the author of Lawyers and Ethics: Professional Responsibility and Discipline, a leading authority on legal ethics and professional responsibility and liability issues for practitioners and the courts for the past 27 years (throughout which time it has been supplemented at least annually). The 6th student edition was published by Thomson Reuters (Carswell) in 2018. He has authored many other legal publications and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Legal Ethics at Osgoode Hall Law School. Mr. MacKenzie is often retained as an expert witness on professional responsibility and litigation in Canada and in the United States. He recently testified in the Supreme Court of Singapore as an expert on Canadian commercial litigation. His practice has included a number of medical malpractice appeals and professional liability work in many industries, including health care (public hospitals and long term care facilities), financial services, and a wide variety of regulated professions. Since 1993, Mr. MacKenzie has received the highest available peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell for legal ability and adherence to high ethical standards. He is repeatedly recommended as a leading practitioner in the field of professional liability by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, and, in addition to his recognition in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution as mentioned above, he is consistently listed in Best Lawyers™ in Canada for his work in Appellate Law, Legal Malpractice Law, Administrative and Public Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Class Action Litigation, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, and Product Liability Law. Mr. MacKenzie has also been selected by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell as a Top Rated Lawyer in Canada, and has been recognized by the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. In 2010, Mr. MacKenzie was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree from the Law Society of Upper Canada in recognition of his contributions to the legal profession.
Ronald Lamola
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South AfricaRonald Lamola is a South African lawyer and politician who has been the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since 22 May 2019 as a member of the African National Congress (ANC). He was Minister of Justice and Correctional Services from May 2019 to June 2024. He is a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee and National Working Committee. Lamola had previously been involved in the African National Congress Youth League. Born on 21 November 1983 in Bushbuckridge, then part of South Africa's Transvaal Province. He joined the ANC Youth League at the age of thirteen in 1996. In 2000, he matriculated from Mchacka High School. He soon enrolled for a law degree at the University of Venda. During his time at the university, he was President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) and Chairperson of the South African Students Congress in Limpopo. He achieved a practical legal training degree from the University of South Africa in 2006. In 2008, he obtained a post-graduate certificate in corporate law from the University of South Africa. Later on, he received a post-graduate certificate in banking law and the financial markets. Lamola acquired an LLM in corporate law from the University of Pretoria. He attained a post-graduate certificate in telecommunications policy and regulation and management from Wits Enterprise. He holds two master's degrees from the University of Pretoria.
Ticket Pricing
Low GDP Countries
- Accommodation not included
- Bottled Water Available
- Security Guaranteed
- Meals not included
Low to Medium Income Countries
High GDP Counties
- Full VIP Access
- Accommodation Included
- Drinks and Meals
- Security Guaranteed
High Income Countries
Youths (Under 26)
- Full Event Access
- Accommodation not Included
- Bottled Water Available
- Security Guaranteed
Students / Post Doc
Dates and Venue
Date: 24- 26 October 2025
Time: 09:00AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Toronto Airport Hotel
925 Dixon Rd,
Etobicoke, ON M9W 1J8,
Canada.