Africa Speakers

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

A Nobel Peace Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu served as South Africa's voice of conscience during its long struggle against apartheid, soothing the spirits and rallying the hearts of his people as head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As a highly regarded and inspirational keynote speaker, he continues to ...

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Internationally known as Africa’s “Iron Lady,” President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became the first woman to lead an African nation. A Harvard-educated former World Bank economist, she is a leading promoter of peace, justice, and democratic rule who was recently honored with a Nobel Peace Prize for her work in ...

Paul Rusesabagina

Considered the "Rwandan Schindler," Rusesabagina saved over 1,200 lives during the Rwandan Genocide. His story is chronicled in both his book, An Ordinary Man, and the Oscar-nominated film, Hotel Rwanda, a riveting account of a man finding strength within himself to save others in the midst of his country's darkest ...

Charlayne Hunter-Gault

Hunter-Gault made civil rights history as the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Georgia. Now, as one of television's premier journalists, she challenges convention with her insights. A special correspondent for NPR based in South Africa, she has written New News Out of Africa, which ...

Anne-Marie Slaughter

As Director of Policy Planning for the US State Department, Anne-Marie Slaughter touched on nearly every foreign policy issue. She was named a Top 100 Global Thinker by Foreign Policy.

Rye Barcott

The founder of an NGO & a former Marine, Rye Barcott has the distinction of being both a warrior & a peacemaker, a juxtaposition he explores in It Happened on the Way to War, a memoir.

Nontombi Naomi Tutu

The daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, she is an activist for human rights and has taught at several US universities as well as led Truth and Reconciliation Workshops for groups dealing with different types of conflict and race relations.

Raj Patel

Patel challenges preconceptions about the global economy through his work as a policy analyst and activist. His most recent book, The Value of Nothing: How to Reshape Market Society and Redefine Democracy, paints a clear picture of how achieving a fair society and sustainable economy are possible. He has worked for ...

Jesse Jackson

Former Presidential candidate, civil rights activist Reverend Jackson is one of the best known and most influential voices of American political and social activism. Called “the great unifier,” he has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic ...

Parag Khanna

Parag Khanna is the leading next-generation voice on the future of global affairs. Named one of Esquire magazine's 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century, Khanna was a foreign policy advisor to President Barack Obama during his historic presidential campaign. He is currently a senior fellow at the New ...

Rose Mapendo

Rose Mapendo, a survivor of the Congolese genocide, is a global activist for peace and reconciliation. A victim no more, she is a true hero, an incredible survivor, and an inspiration to us all who proves that - even in the face of violence, loss, and extreme hardship - courage and strength can be enough to save your life. ...

Charles Stith

As the founder of the Organization for a New Equality, Stith's commitment to national and international community development is reflected in both his actions and his writing. Under his leadership, Tanzania has become the first African country to sign an Open Skies Agreement with the United States. Stith is currently the ...

Immaculee Ilibagiza

Ilibagiza is the author of Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust, the international bestseller that has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide and has been made into a documentary. Some of the proceeds from the book have raised over $150,000 for the orphans of Rwanda. She has established the ...

Bishop Vashti McKenzie

Vashti Murphy McKenzie has made history as the first female bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and in her current role as the first female president of the church's Council of Bishops, the executive branch responsible for its operation worldwide.

Sarah Culberson

Born to an African father and a white mother, Culberson was given up to foster care, adopted by a loving white family, and grew up contemplating her biracial roots. Years later when she sought out her birth father – a tribal chief in Africa – she discovered that she was an African princess. Today, an actress and ...

John Wood

At age 35, John Wood left an executive career track at Microsoft Corporation to form Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that "combines the heart of Mother Theresa with the scalability of Starbucks" to help children across the developing world break the cycle of poverty through the power of education. Razor-sharp ...

John Prendergast

John Prendergast is a human rights activist and best-selling author. He is the co-founder of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Working for the Clinton Administration, he was directly involved in a number of peace processes in Africa. Prendergast helped create the Satellite ...

Samantha Nutt

Samantha Nutt, MD, is the author of Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies & Aid, a brilliant account of her experiences providing hands-on care in some of the world's most violent places.

Randall Robinson

An internationally respected social justice advocate and author, is also a professor of law at Penn State University. In 1979, he established TransAfrica, the mandate of which is to promote enlightened, progressive US policies towards Africa and the Caribbean.

Martti Ahtisaari

As President of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari helped steer the nation in its accession to the EU. Post-presidency, he is known for his efforts in international peace mediation & conflict resolution.