Record #: R2011-949   
Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Intro date: 7/28/2011 Current Controlling Legislative Body:
Final action: 7/28/2011
Title: Call for Chicagoans to attend African Festival of Arts
Sponsors: Burns, William D.
Attachments: 1. R2011-949.pdf
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the African Festival of the Arts was started in 1989 in Harper Court as a means to of promoting African culture in Chicago and to give African descendant artists a place to display and sell their works of art; and
WHEREAS, Africa International House was incorporated in 1994 as a 501(c)3 organization to produce the growing African Festival of the Arts; and
WHEREAS, the African Festival of the Arts has become the single largest African-centered event in the USA and the most important of its kind in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, the African Festival of the Arts is a series of festivals within a festival built around African culture: art, music, dance, history and current interests and pursuits which promotes, preserves and propagates African Descendant culture; and
WHEREAS, the Africa International House, transforms Washington Park (Chicago), located at 51s' Street to 55th Street (Cottage Grove to King Drive), into an authentic African Village complete with spectacular entertainment, pavilions, food, that draws more than a quarter of a million people over the Labor Day weekend to Chicago South Side; and
WHEREAS, The African Festival of the Arts, boosts tourism in Chicago by attracting people from around the world to Chicago annually, bridging the divides between the peoples of the African Diaspora and from across Chicago's diverse population; and
WHEREAS, The African Festival of the Arts, presented by Africa International House USA, Inc., has been and continues to be an incubator of small African descendant businesses across the USA where many of the 350 plus exhibitors go on to form their own free standing businesses; and
WHEREAS, During its twenty-one year history, this four day cultural extravaganza, has grown and now spans more than twelve acres but has stayed perfectly true to its mission of preserving African culture and bridging cultural divides; and
BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Mayor and the members ofthe City Council ofthe City ofChicago, do hereby call on all citizens of our world class city, to take the opportunity over the Labor Day weekend, to experience the art, music, culture shopping and cuisine at the only authentic African Village outside of Africa created at The African Festival of the Arts, to share, celebrate and promote African Culture in Chicago.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Africa International House Incorporate, USA
 
 
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William D. Burns Alderman 4th Ward