The international conference "Africa and the Diaspora in the New Millennium” will take place Oct. 30 through Nov.1 in the Century Rooms at the Millennium Student Center at UMSL. The event is free and open to the public.

The challenges and opportunities faced by Africans and the people of African descent worldwide in the 21st century will be the focus of a three-day international conference at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

“Africa and the Diaspora in the New Millennium” will take place Oct. 30 through Nov.1 in the Century Rooms at the Millennium Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.

The conference’s opening session at 9 a.m. Oct. 30 will feature; Niyi Coker, the E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor of African/African American Studies at UMSL; Tom George, UMSL chancellor; and Joel Glassman, associate provost and director of the Office for International Studies and Programs at UMSL. Also slated to speak are St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley and Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United States.

Sir Hilary Beckles, chancellor of the University of the West Indies in Cave Hill, Barbados, will deliver the keynote address.

Papers will be presented at the conference in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish with simultaneous interpretation of the four languages.

The conference is sponsored by the E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professorship of African/African-American Studies and International Studies and Programs at UMSL, as well as the Nigerian-based Center for Black and African Arts and Civilization.

Visit africaandthediaspora-conference.com or call 314-516-6977 for a full conference program and schedule.