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Who are the Virginia Friends of Mali? We are students, teachers, and professors from both public and private high schools and universities in the area.. We are businessmen and women, historians, musicians, travelers, former Peace Corps volunteers, Americans, Malians. We are citizens and residents of the Richmond area who want to build a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship between our city and the city of Segou, Mali. We have adopted Segou, and Segou has adopted Richmond; we are sister cities. Segou, the second largest city in Mali on the Niger River, is home to le Festival sur le Niger (Festival on the Niger), a festival that showcases the greatest musicians and artists of Mali and West Africa. It also features economic, environmental and educational components and has also become the major festival of its kind in West Africa. The Virginia Friends of Mali‘s goal is to build and maintain all the connections that comprise a Sister City relationship. There is so much more that we plan to do. If you want to know more about Virginia Friends of Mali, or would like to join us on our next trip to Mali, please contact us at virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com.
Mission
Virginia Friends of Mali is working to create and promote educational and cultural pathways to understanding and cooperation between the peoples of the African nation of Mali and the state of Virginia, USA. Virginia Friends of Mali has been working to fulfill this mission through three core program tracks: Teaching Teachers At the heart of VFoM’s mission are its programs and tools that support the Mali/World History requirement for the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) for 3rd – 6th grade students and their teachers. These programs have included musical and storytelling events as well as exhibitions of Malian art and artifacts. They provide further vehicles for educators, artisans, and other cultural practitioners to share their knowledge with the next generation. Connecting Cultures VFoM organizes inter-cultural exchange programs designed to connect the people of Mali and Virginia in compelling and productive ways. These exchanges have included excursion groups to Mali during the Festival on the Niger as well as hosting Mali’s prime minister and ambassador to the U.S. We hope to promote the exchange of cultures between the sister cities of Richmond, Virginia and Segou, Mali. Trading in Trades VFoM is working to develop and coordinate import/export opportunities appropriate in…
Board of Directors
Ana Edwards, President Robin Edward Poulton, Vice President Allan Levenberg, Treasurer Dana Wiggins, Secretary virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com
History
In November, 2005, the Prime Minister of Mali, Ousmane Maiga, visited Richmond, Virginia in conjunction with the opening of an exhibition on the History, Art and Culture of Mali at the Main Public Library. Prime Minister Maiga was accompanied by Mali’s Ambassador to the United States, Abdoulaye Diop, as well as Mali’s Minister of Agriculture and the Minister for Private Investment. Along with a group of Richmonders who would soon become the Virginia Friends of Mali, this high level delegation met with Governor Mark Warner and participated in a whirlwind tour of Richmond, which included a visit to a Chesterfield County Elementary school as a part of their Standards of Learning experience, and a meeting with representatives from the Virginia Department of Education. The delegation also met with university presidents and students from the Richmond area. Later that evening, the Prime Minister was welcomed at a gala reception by representatives of the Richmond Mayor’s office. The founding of Virginia Friends of Mali followed this remarkable visit to promote the exchange of cultures and communications between the African nation of Mali and the state of Virginia. Since then, we have sent citizen delegations to Segou and met with Segou’s Mayor and…
Contact
Education
Teaching Timbuktu
Teaching Teachers
Teaching the Community
Dogon Culture and Malian Religion
Griots – Mali’s Historians and Musicians
Sonni Ali Ber and the Songhai dynasty
Mansa Musa and the gold trade
Timbuktu the Islam center of scholarship
What Made Sunjata Great?
Sunjata the Lion King and His Griot
VA SOL’s
Virginia Standards of Learning
Travel
2012 Delegation to Mali
Publications
Outreach
Exhibitions
Black History Museum Exhibition April 17 – June 20, 2009 Virginia Friends of Mali and the Black History Museum u0026#038; Cultural Center of Virginia proudly presented this wonderful exhibition exploring Malian culture and the links between Mali and Virginia. The exhibition included a market installed by VFoM member, Haoua Cheick Seip. The opening night reception and program April 17 featured a performance by the eminent Malian griot and musician Cheick Hamala Diabaté. Cheick also performed the following day during the Discovery Day education program. View photos and hear MP3′s of Cheick’s performance in our Photo Gallery and Media pages. The Black History Museum is located at 00 Clay Street, Richmond, VA, 23219. Phone: (804) 780-9093.
Current Projects
African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program
Sister Cities International
Accueil (FR)
L’Enseignement
Nouvelles
ADHERER à lu0026#8217;association
ACTIVITES
A Propos
Home
About
About Us
Who are the Virginia Friends of Mali? We are students, teachers, and professors from both public and private high schools and universities in the area.. We are businessmen and women, historians, musicians, travelers, former Peace Corps volunteers, Americans, Malians. We are citizens and residents of the Richmond area who want to build a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship between our city and the city of Segou, Mali. We have adopted Segou, and Segou has adopted Richmond; we are sister cities. Segou, the second largest city in Mali on the Niger River, is home to le Festival sur le Niger (Festival on the Niger), a festival that showcases the greatest musicians and artists of Mali and West Africa. It also features economic, environmental and educational components and has also become the major festival of its kind in West Africa. The Virginia Friends of Mali‘s goal is to build and maintain all the connections that comprise a Sister City relationship. There is so much more that we plan to do. If you want to know more about Virginia Friends of Mali, or would like to join us on our next trip to Mali, please contact us at virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com.
Mission
Virginia Friends of Mali is working to create and promote educational and cultural pathways to understanding and cooperation between the peoples of the African nation of Mali and the state of Virginia, USA. Virginia Friends of Mali has been working to fulfill this mission through three core program tracks: Teaching Teachers At the heart of VFoM’s mission are its programs and tools that support the Mali/World History requirement for the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) for 3rd – 6th grade students and their teachers. These programs have included musical and storytelling events as well as exhibitions of Malian art and artifacts. They provide further vehicles for educators, artisans, and other cultural practitioners to share their knowledge with the next generation. Connecting Cultures VFoM organizes inter-cultural exchange programs designed to connect the people of Mali and Virginia in compelling and productive ways. These exchanges have included excursion groups to Mali during the Festival on the Niger as well as hosting Mali’s prime minister and ambassador to the U.S. We hope to promote the exchange of cultures between the sister cities of Richmond, Virginia and Segou, Mali. Trading in Trades VFoM is working to develop and coordinate import/export opportunities appropriate in…
Board of Directors
Ana Edwards, President Robin Edward Poulton, Vice President Allan Levenberg, Treasurer Dana Wiggins, Secretary virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com
History
In November, 2005, the Prime Minister of Mali, Ousmane Maiga, visited Richmond, Virginia in conjunction with the opening of an exhibition on the History, Art and Culture of Mali at the Main Public Library. Prime Minister Maiga was accompanied by Mali’s Ambassador to the United States, Abdoulaye Diop, as well as Mali’s Minister of Agriculture and the Minister for Private Investment. Along with a group of Richmonders who would soon become the Virginia Friends of Mali, this high level delegation met with Governor Mark Warner and participated in a whirlwind tour of Richmond, which included a visit to a Chesterfield County Elementary school as a part of their Standards of Learning experience, and a meeting with representatives from the Virginia Department of Education. The delegation also met with university presidents and students from the Richmond area. Later that evening, the Prime Minister was welcomed at a gala reception by representatives of the Richmond Mayor’s office. The founding of Virginia Friends of Mali followed this remarkable visit to promote the exchange of cultures and communications between the African nation of Mali and the state of Virginia. Since then, we have sent citizen delegations to Segou and met with Segou’s Mayor and…
Contact
Education
Teaching Timbuktu
Teaching Teachers
Teaching the Community
Dogon Culture and Malian Religion
Griots – Mali’s Historians and Musicians
Sonni Ali Ber and the Songhai dynasty
Mansa Musa and the gold trade
Timbuktu the Islam center of scholarship
What Made Sunjata Great?
Sunjata the Lion King and His Griot
VA SOL’s
Virginia Standards of Learning
Travel
2012 Delegation to Mali
Publications
Outreach
Exhibitions
Black History Museum Exhibition April 17 – June 20, 2009 Virginia Friends of Mali and the Black History Museum u0026#038; Cultural Center of Virginia proudly presented this wonderful exhibition exploring Malian culture and the links between Mali and Virginia. The exhibition included a market installed by VFoM member, Haoua Cheick Seip. The opening night reception and program April 17 featured a performance by the eminent Malian griot and musician Cheick Hamala Diabaté. Cheick also performed the following day during the Discovery Day education program. View photos and hear MP3′s of Cheick’s performance in our Photo Gallery and Media pages. The Black History Museum is located at 00 Clay Street, Richmond, VA, 23219. Phone: (804) 780-9093.
Current Projects
African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program
Sister Cities International
Accueil (FR)
L’Enseignement
Nouvelles
ADHERER à lu0026#8217;association
ACTIVITES
A Propos
Virginia Friends of Mali
Home
About
About Us
Who are the Virginia Friends of Mali? We are students, teachers, and professors from both public and private high schools and universities in the area.. We are businessmen and women, historians, musicians, travelers, former Peace Corps volunteers, Americans, Malians. We are citizens and residents of the Richmond area who want to build a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship between our city and the city of Segou, Mali. We have adopted Segou, and Segou has adopted Richmond; we are sister cities. Segou, the second largest city in Mali on the Niger River, is home to le Festival sur le Niger (Festival on the Niger), a festival that showcases the greatest musicians and artists of Mali and West Africa. It also features economic, environmental and educational components and has also become the major festival of its kind in West Africa. The Virginia Friends of Mali‘s goal is to build and maintain all the connections that comprise a Sister City relationship. There is so much more that we plan to do. If you want to know more about Virginia Friends of Mali, or would like to join us on our next trip to Mali, please contact us at virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com.
Mission
Virginia Friends of Mali is working to create and promote educational and cultural pathways to understanding and cooperation between the peoples of the African nation of Mali and the state of Virginia, USA. Virginia Friends of Mali has been working to fulfill this mission through three core program tracks: Teaching Teachers At the heart of VFoM’s mission are its programs and tools that support the Mali/World History requirement for the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) for 3rd – 6th grade students and their teachers. These programs have included musical and storytelling events as well as exhibitions of Malian art and artifacts. They provide further vehicles for educators, artisans, and other cultural practitioners to share their knowledge with the next generation. Connecting Cultures VFoM organizes inter-cultural exchange programs designed to connect the people of Mali and Virginia in compelling and productive ways. These exchanges have included excursion groups to Mali during the Festival on the Niger as well as hosting Mali’s prime minister and ambassador to the U.S. We hope to promote the exchange of cultures between the sister cities of Richmond, Virginia and Segou, Mali. Trading in Trades VFoM is working to develop and coordinate import/export opportunities appropriate in…
Board of Directors
Ana Edwards, President Robin Edward Poulton, Vice President Allan Levenberg, Treasurer Dana Wiggins, Secretary virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com
History
In November, 2005, the Prime Minister of Mali, Ousmane Maiga, visited Richmond, Virginia in conjunction with the opening of an exhibition on the History, Art and Culture of Mali at the Main Public Library. Prime Minister Maiga was accompanied by Mali’s Ambassador to the United States, Abdoulaye Diop, as well as Mali’s Minister of Agriculture and the Minister for Private Investment. Along with a group of Richmonders who would soon become the Virginia Friends of Mali, this high level delegation met with Governor Mark Warner and participated in a whirlwind tour of Richmond, which included a visit to a Chesterfield County Elementary school as a part of their Standards of Learning experience, and a meeting with representatives from the Virginia Department of Education. The delegation also met with university presidents and students from the Richmond area. Later that evening, the Prime Minister was welcomed at a gala reception by representatives of the Richmond Mayor’s office. The founding of Virginia Friends of Mali followed this remarkable visit to promote the exchange of cultures and communications between the African nation of Mali and the state of Virginia. Since then, we have sent citizen delegations to Segou and met with Segou’s Mayor and…
Contact
Education
Teaching Timbuktu
Teaching Teachers
Teaching the Community
Dogon Culture and Malian Religion
Griots – Mali’s Historians and Musicians
Sonni Ali Ber and the Songhai dynasty
Mansa Musa and the gold trade
Timbuktu the Islam center of scholarship
What Made Sunjata Great?
Sunjata the Lion King and His Griot
VA SOL’s
Virginia Standards of Learning
Travel
2012 Delegation to Mali
Publications
Outreach
Exhibitions
Black History Museum Exhibition April 17 – June 20, 2009 Virginia Friends of Mali and the Black History Museum u0026#038; Cultural Center of Virginia proudly presented this wonderful exhibition exploring Malian culture and the links between Mali and Virginia. The exhibition included a market installed by VFoM member, Haoua Cheick Seip. The opening night reception and program April 17 featured a performance by the eminent Malian griot and musician Cheick Hamala Diabaté. Cheick also performed the following day during the Discovery Day education program. View photos and hear MP3′s of Cheick’s performance in our Photo Gallery and Media pages. The Black History Museum is located at 00 Clay Street, Richmond, VA, 23219. Phone: (804) 780-9093.
Current Projects
African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program
Sister Cities International
Accueil (FR)
L’Enseignement
Nouvelles
ADHERER à lu0026#8217;association
ACTIVITES
A Propos
Sonni Ali Ber and the Songhai dynasty