The current King of the kingdom of Lesotho, His Majesty King Letsie III, is to visit Oxford to speak at the Union on Saturday 4th May. The event is part of the Oxford University Pan-African Conference, the flagship event of the Oxford University African Society. The Conference, which is now three years old, is said by the organisers to be one of the largest gatherings of African students that take place in the UK.
His Majesty King Letsie, who studied Developmental Studies at Cambridge, is to give a talk on the theme: “Towards a 21st Century African Renaissance: Sowing the Seeds of Success“. Other high profile speakers include Euvin Naidoo, the Chair of the South African Chamber of Commerce in America, who Forbes ranked in 2011 as one of the “Top 10 most powerful and influential men under 40 in Africa” and BankyW, a renowned Nigerian musician.
Martin Kayondo, organiser of the conference, spoke of its aims. He said, “The objective of the 2013 OUPAC is to bring together dynamic scholars, entrepreneurs and leaders from around the world, who will discuss issues of African leadership, governance, technological advancement, sustainable development and healthcare innovation. It aims to showcase Africa’s ongoing development and investment potential, to change people’s perceptions and in so doing recognise Africa’s emerging role as an economic powerhouse and a vital player on the global political stage. We, as participants, seek to engage with this transformational change and influence its direction as we sow the seeds of success for future generations.”
Chloe Kane, a second year PPE student at Wadham, commented, “I am very excited about this conference and that so many prestigious and important speakers are coming to speak at Oxford right at the Union.”
