Check out our HECA Press Release by clicking on the following link http://ucliberia.com/category/blog/
HECA Leadership Team
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Liberia, Economic Growth Office Director Megan Kyles
HECA Conference attendees at the closing session
April 29, 2024
On Monday, April 22, 2024, World Earth Day, the Higher Education for Conservation (HECA) hostedthe “Mobilizing Liberia for Conservation” International Partner Conference and Call to Action that took place at the Farmington Hotel, in lower Margibi County, Liberia.
Official government representatives from the donor community, local and international NGO representatives, private sector leaders, academics, higher education administrators and students, community leaders, green entrepreneurs and innovators, and youth representatives, all gathered to deliberate on key topics relating to forestry, biodiversity, conservation and green enterprise development. Recognizing that getting the message out about conservation to Liberians requires an”all hands-on deck” approach, and that effective, sustainable action for conservation requires the mobilization of an entire ecosystem of interconnected actors, the team used the convening power ofHECA to bring stakeholders into a common conversation that launched multiple lines of action across Liberia on Forestry, Biodiversity, and Conservation themes.
On behalf of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Liberia, Economic Growth Office Director Megan Kyles, expressed USAID’s commitment to the Government and people ofLiberia and how deeply the United States cares about the welfare of communities and Liberia’s forests, biodiversity, conservation and green enterprises. Other representatives from the U.S. Government and USAID were also present.
Government officials from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Education,Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Forestry Development Agency (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs attended the conference and participated in panel discussions. There was also a “Made in Liberia” Green Enterprise Fair to afford participants the opportunity to learn about various products and other forest resources.
This project is sponsored by USAID and implemented by the University of Georgia and its consortium partners; the University of Liberia (UL), the Forestry Training Institute (FTI), Alabama Agricultural &Mechanical University (AAMU), Tuskegee University (TU), the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) atWellesley College, the University Consortium for Liberia (UCL), and the Resilient Africa Network (RAN)in Uganda. This five-year initiative is designed to establish the Forestry, Biodiversity, Conservation (FBC) Center of excellence at the University of Liberia Fendell Campus, develop a National FBCCurriculum for use by the Liberia Higher Education Institutions in FBC, develop a curriculum in soft skills, strengthen faculty, students, and others, promote social inclusion and Green Enterprise Development initiatives.
For further information, please contact Hon. Cynthia L. Blandford at +1 678-612-2192 orcblandford@UCLiberia.com or Val Thompson, at +1 832-526-3335 or val@IFMagazine.net
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| Opportunity Liberia Forum by Houston international Trade Development Council |
| Date and timeWed, May 18, 2022 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM CDT LocationInternational Trade Center Houston, Texas 11110 Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77082 HITDC and the Consulate of Liberia-Ga with guest speakers from the US Embassy in Liberia, Government, and the private sector(Live Stream)About this event Join Houston International Trade Development Council and the Consulate of Liberia-Ga. as we explore limitless opportunities in the United States’ most loyal ally and one of the fastest-growing nations on the continent of Africa! The Republic of Liberia! This forum will be a hybrid, in-person and virtual with guest speakers from the US Embassy in Liberia, Government, and the private sector. In person and Live Streamed by Creed Global Media. Opportunity Liberian Forum When: Wed May 18, 2022 10:30am – 12pm Central Time – Chicago Where: Hybrid – Virtual and in person event. Click on the button to register.Who: Val@houstontrade.org & creedglobalmedia@gmail.com |
Upcoming APM Terminals Liberia Virtual Job Fair
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the change to daylight savings time in the USA, the start and end times of this event for those joining in Monrovia has changed to 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM)
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Inaugural Edition of the International Focus (iF) Magazine Atlanta. The major benefit of this new print magazine is its global focus on the Diplomatic Corp & Trade Offices, International Businesses and NGOs. For more information, please contact Cynthia L. Blandford, Publisher & CFO International Focus (iF) Magazine (Atlanta)
PRESS RELEASE:
A DIPLOMAT AND NOW PUBLISHER LAUNCHES NEW INTERNATIONAL FOCUS MAGAZINE IN ATL
The International Focus (iF) Magazine will be celebrating the rollout of the magazine in Atlanta, Georgia, with a reception in early February 2022 as a new voice working to help increase Atlanta’s visibility as a true global city with international reach and promise. The private event will be held at the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MAC) by invitation only.
“I would not have imagined that the COVID-19 virus would have allowed the sprouting of innovative ideas, unexpected friendships and new business ventures that seemed unimaginable in light of a pandemic that wreaked havoc all over the world.” As God would have it, it did, stated Cynthia L. Blandford, the new Publisher, and CFO of the International Focus (iF) Magazine in Atlanta, Georgia. iF Magazine was born out of Houston, Texas in 2016, under the visionary leadership of Mr. Val Thompson, CEO and Publisher and expanded into the Atlanta market in January of this year.
Blandford notes that in April 2021, Mr. Val Thompson called to request an interview to write about her journey to become the first African-American female Honorary Consul in Liberia’s 175-year history. He flew to Atlanta, Georgia, with a photographer and she notes with pleasure that “it was an honor to be placed on the front cover of the June-July 2021 iF Magazine and to share a first blush of my memoires.”
Publisher Blandford stated that “I was impressed with Val’s understanding of the power of diplomacy and that of the Diplomatic Corps, and we both understood how powerful cities like Atlanta could help promote international trade and development and become a center for global commerce at a much higher-level.” As Honorary Consul Blandford found herself in parallel with his vision to highlight the work and stories of the international community and that of her peers in the Diplomatic Corps, in late 2021, accepted Thompson’s offer to be the Publisher and CFO of iF in Atlanta.
So, as it seems, Blandford is now a Publisher and a Diplomat, and she looks forward to interviewing members of the Atlanta Diplomatic Corp, international businesses, and partners where information and insights can be shared. “We are all about promoting the great City of Atlanta where the City of Atlanta is also home to more than 70 consular and trade offices, 40 bi-national chambers of commerce and more than 2,700 international businesses and where we also have the most efficient and busiest airport in the world with ATL!”
iF Magazines Publisher and CEO Mr. Val Thompson, located in Houston, Texas, had his sights on Atlanta a few years ago as a part of iF’s expansion strategy into new markets as Atlanta was quickly being recognized as a go-to destination.
Blandford recognized that the iF operational structure provided an opportunity to have a digital magazine that has over 40,000 in their network reach, not including their social media friends and family. Blandford was also pleased with the fact that iF publishes professionally bound hard copies of the magazine that is distributed to strategic distribution sites throughout Houston. With a view towards Atlanta, Publisher Blandford also looks forward to sharing the iF Magazine hard copies with the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s
Office, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta Air Lines, Chambers of Commerce, international businesses and of course, to members of the Atlanta Diplomatic Corps. Blandford noted that “iF Magazine has a special niche that no other international magazine currently has in Atlanta and that is a beautifully printed international magazine that is published by a diplomat.” She and Val both believe that “print is here to stay”!
For more information on iF Magazine, please go to www.ifmagazine.net for the latest edition of both the Houston and Atlanta Magazine. If you are interested in advertising with iF Atlanta, please also contact the Publisher at 678-612-2192 for a Media Kit Atlanta or email her at cblandford@ifmagazine.net.
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